Tough Cover Show: March Madness Is Upon Us - 03/15/25

Mark Henry Jr., Sean Barnard, and Sam Oshtry talk all things #CBB Conference Tournament action in Hour 1. In Hour 2, MHJ and Barnard talk #CBB, #NBA, #NFL free agency with more #Eagles moves, and more.

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
Number one on your car radio preset hand. The new
and improved iHeart Radio app w D A S and
w D two seven three D Philadelphia is Fox Sports
Radio The Gambler.

Speaker 2 (00:11):
Right down in the language that everybody here can easily understand.

Speaker 1 (00:21):
To get ready for the day's action, from the sides
to the totals and everything in between. Nobody does it
better than the top cover with Mark Henry right here
on the Gambler.

Speaker 3 (00:36):
What can.

Speaker 4 (01:07):
Sting, the Counting the County.

Speaker 5 (01:15):
Hello, and welcome to the Tough Cover Radio Show.

Speaker 4 (01:21):
It is March fifteenth, and we are one day away
from one of the most glorious days on the sports calendar,
one of the days.

Speaker 5 (01:32):
That you you know, you.

Speaker 6 (01:33):
Think about all all fall long, all winter long, all
spring long. We get the selection Sunday, and then we
get to the first and second round of the of
the NCAA Tournament, the best week in sports, and it's
not even close. And we are one day away from
getting that all kicked off, and we are here to

(01:54):
preview all of that with my cost back in the studio,
Sean Bernard. You can give him a follow at Sewn
Underscore Bernard one and for the whole first hour. On
the other side, we got my man Sam Ostri. You
can follow him at s Austrey on Twitter. Check out
his stuff over at the Score and he is flying
high coming into this show with the he's got the

(02:16):
Turps merch on he can't.

Speaker 5 (02:17):
Yeah, there it is, there's the logo. He's flying high.

Speaker 6 (02:20):
The Turps are one of the four teams left in
the Big Ten Tournament, and we're gonna talk all about it.
We're gonna talk all all things college basketball.

Speaker 5 (02:29):
But let me throw it to Sean first. Sean, how
are we doing back in the studio?

Speaker 7 (02:33):
Yeah? Doing great, Mark Henry Jr.

Speaker 8 (02:35):
I've been enjoying the NonStop hoops that has been jumping
right back into the college basketball world like I never left.
So feeling loving watching every second of action that I
can very excited to buckle up for another full slate
today and then obviously the big day tomorrow. So can't
wait for Thursday when the whole action the best sporting
event in the entire world. I'm gassed up and fired
up about this week, so can't complain it all.

Speaker 6 (02:55):
You can't downplay though, and we all agree Thursday best
day of the year in terms of sports Thursday, Friday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday.
However you want to categorize it as the weekend, but
that Monday or that Sunday to Wednesday.

Speaker 5 (03:10):
Tinkering with the bracket, listening.

Speaker 6 (03:13):
To all the podcasts, watching the shows, trying to figure
out your your kind of tough matchups. There's nothing like it.
In Sam I mentioned the Turfs. Other than the Turfs,
how are we doing.

Speaker 9 (03:24):
I'm great.

Speaker 10 (03:25):
We got two to go. Job's not finished, Mark, but
I'm great. And look, conference tournaments matter. They matter, Like
I want this banner where we need to hang this banner.

Speaker 9 (03:34):
It means something.

Speaker 10 (03:36):
So obviously we're two away from that big one today
against Michigan.

Speaker 9 (03:39):
But I'm great.

Speaker 10 (03:40):
Happy, happy day before selection Sunday, Happy conference championship weekend.

Speaker 9 (03:45):
And happy Saint Patty's Day do you both?

Speaker 5 (03:48):
Yeah? Yeah, Happy Saint Patty's Day. It's crazy.

Speaker 6 (03:51):
When I was in college, Coots Patty's Day is a
big thing. I went to Kotstown, so Saint Patty's Day
is like the number one day of the year.

Speaker 5 (03:58):
There for cuts down as soon I left college, and
I'm irish. I'm ashamed to admit it.

Speaker 6 (04:02):
I haven't done anything for Saint Patty's Day a single
time in like five years, because it falls on this
March madness craziness. And I'm always sitting inside watching hoops.
But you talk about you're talking about Maryland, and you
talk about conference championships mattering, and I agree, the banner matters.

(04:23):
Winning a conference title, it matters. Does the committee agree
that's gonna be something that's interesting to track? And seems
like some years they do, some years they don't. In
some years they're picky and choosy about which ones they
count as mattering and which ones they don't. I remember
a couple of years ago, Iowa was ranked like twentieth

(04:44):
in the country. Brown that five seed line went and
won the Big Ten Tourney, beat a bunch of good teams,
and they were a five seed again. And this Big
Big Ten tournament closes on Sunday, unlike some of the
other ones that close today, and they were put to
play at like Thursday.

Speaker 5 (04:58):
At noon and they lo in the first round.

Speaker 6 (05:01):
Is there any fear for you that Maryland goes on
this long?

Speaker 5 (05:06):
And I know that it matters.

Speaker 6 (05:08):
I know that the conference championship matters, But in terms
of the big picture, because I do think Maryland's a
team that can make a lot of noise once the
big tourney comes. Is there any fear for you that
you could kind of exhaust all this energy, beat all
these really good teams, go to the wire. Maybe we
haven't seen that yet, but go to the wire here
in these final two games, and then it doesn't really

(05:29):
even affect your seed.

Speaker 9 (05:31):
Yeah.

Speaker 10 (05:31):
At this point, I'm of the belief that the selection
committee doesn't really care about the conference tournaments and their champions.
They do it to an extent obviously, like UNC had
to win that game. Like UNC came into this conference
tournament and they had to make a run and they
had to be duke without couber flag and.

Speaker 9 (05:47):
They didn't lane violation or not, they didn't and.

Speaker 10 (05:51):
It was and they have no business being in the
tournament because of that. For a team like Maryland, when
I say it matters, it matters more for program pride,
for national relevance, that type of stuff. For the selection committee,
I don't really think it matters. They're right between that
four and three line. Look, if they win today, I
think they're pretty much locked to get a three seed.
I couldn't either even if they go and win the tournament.
I couldn't see them getting to that two line anyway,

(06:13):
but maybe they'll get higher on that three line. So
I think, look, they have two big tests potentially one
big test one game at a time, potentially against Michigan first,
and then we'll see if they play Michigan State a
rematch over that half court heave in College Park that
Michigan Michigan State got lucky over. But I don't want
to get ahead of myself. So they've Michigan, they have
Michigan today. I don't really think it's gonna affect their

(06:33):
seeding that much. They could if they win today, they'll
be on the three line. As far as I'm concerned,
I can't see them getting up to the two. It's
also the thing about it is I'm a huge proponent
of moving Conference champion Championship Week up a day for
these championship games that end on Sunday, because Maryland is
the last or it's not Maryland, the Big Ten championship
game is the last game on Sunday at three thirty.

(06:54):
They win that, they have thirty minutes to celebrate right
into the Bracker Reveal. Find out who you're playing, Start
prepaying for that next matchup. Give them and the committee
an entire day, because the committee's already set before that
Big Ten Championship even happens.

Speaker 9 (07:07):
So give that. Move it up to day Today.

Speaker 10 (07:10):
Should be Championship Saturday for all conferences, or at least
the major conferences, and then Sunday. Let the committee sit
on in an entire day, Let the teams enjoy it,
Let them celebrate Sundays all for selection Sunday.

Speaker 6 (07:22):
Yeah, I totally agree. And they said Rothstein has said it.
Stanford Steve, I know, has been talking about it this week.
They've both said these these brackets are pretty much done
last night. Yeah, from the selection committee. Which that's a problem.

Speaker 5 (07:37):
What do we do?

Speaker 6 (07:38):
It's kind of my I was yelling and screaming when
the college Football Playoff came out and Penn State got
benefited from losing the Big Ten championship, and you know,
you could argue they got a better path than they
would have gotten if they want it. They didn't drop
a single spot, And I was of the kind of
on the other side, not conference championships mattering in a
good way. I was kind of saying, well, if they

(07:59):
lose that game, that counts as a loss and you
have to drop him. And the selection committee in that
case also said we don't care. You know, you can't
punish the loss there. So it kind of goes both ways.
And I wanted to I want to share my screen here.
I'm gonna share the bracketology. Yeah, do a little get
some technology, man, a little funky here.

Speaker 5 (08:21):
We're gonna share the screen that I'm a Lunardi guy.
What do you think about that? Are you a Lunardi guy,
a palm guy? Where do you go? Sam?

Speaker 9 (08:29):
Well?

Speaker 10 (08:30):
So I am a Lunardi guy. I like Lunardi a lot.
He's been a little iffy the last couple of years
that We're gonna be honest. I do still think he's
the best. I think he's the most well connected. But
if you remember last year, this day last year, he
went to sleep. He went to sleep right when it
was like the most important night of the entire thing.
On Saturday night, He's like, I'm going to sleep. I'll

(08:50):
talk to you guys tomorrow, and everyone was pissed him,
like how are you going to sleep on a Saturday night.

Speaker 6 (08:56):
There's too often where Lunardi has like four straight days
where he is not updating the bracket.

Speaker 5 (09:03):
Yeah, and that drives me nuts. That's perfect right there,
Sean got it.

Speaker 10 (09:08):
By the way, let's just look at that bracket because
it's not gonna be like that.

Speaker 9 (09:12):
My goodness. If that is Maryland's region.

Speaker 10 (09:14):
That's what I was pulling up for you Van Antonio
tickets book, the San Antonio tickets.

Speaker 6 (09:19):
That's that's why I wanted to pull it up for
you there, Sam, because I was the reason that I
asked that question is because I've constantly seen Maryland on
the four line, and I've been saying they should be
up there on the three line, maybe even competing for
it too. But Lunardi bumped them up to a three
this morning.

Speaker 5 (09:38):
And you look at.

Speaker 6 (09:38):
This region and specifically the bottom half of the region.
I don't think that's an easy second round matchup with
Louisville whatsoever.

Speaker 5 (09:46):
That's a tough matchup.

Speaker 6 (09:47):
But you talk about that bottom for Tennessee, what a
gift of a two seed with.

Speaker 5 (09:52):
With Rick Barnes, who has you know, march itis.

Speaker 6 (09:54):
When when it comes to march madness, Gonzaga and Arkansas,
neither of.

Speaker 5 (09:58):
Those teams, you know, strike a ton of fear into me.

Speaker 6 (10:01):
That's you know, if that's the bracket, I think we're
talking about a Duke Maryland, you know, rematch of Old
in the elite eight.

Speaker 10 (10:09):
Yeah, I'm completely with you, because Tennessee is not really
a threat. And then look, it's obviously getting way ahead
of ourselves. Louisville is not an easy three to six matchup.

Speaker 5 (10:19):
Neither would Vandy. By the Wayandy's not that's a.

Speaker 10 (10:21):
Great first round matchup. I don't know where I would
go with that. Louisville's a really good team. I actually
have a future on them to win the ECC tournament
plus five fifty from before pre tournament. So I need
them today against Duke, and I like them with the
points today against Duke, but I would still feel pretty
confident about that. You're gonna have to play great teams
to get far in this tournament. Tennessee is a two seed.
If we're the three seed, would be a gift, especially
getting off that four line, because you don't have to

(10:43):
play the one seed and then look out of all
the one seeds, I would much rather match up with Duke.

Speaker 9 (10:48):
They're not like.

Speaker 10 (10:49):
Even with Cooper flag, without Cooper flag, a hobbled Cooper flag,
whatever it is, Duke is the easiest matchup of all
the one seeds. I don't want to play Auburn. I
don't want to play Florida. I definitely don't want to
play Houston.

Speaker 9 (10:59):
Mark. I know you love Houston.

Speaker 5 (11:00):
Agree.

Speaker 10 (11:01):
I'm not saying it's easy. It's going to be a challenge.
They're going to be underdogs for sure. Out of all
the one seeds, I want to be in Duke's region.

Speaker 6 (11:08):
I'd rather be in Florida's than I love Florida. I
know you love Florida. Everyone loves Florida. You just talk
about I just think the pedigree of the coaching with
Houston and Auburn, I think carries me over Florida. And
then if I'm just comparing Florida and Duke, give me
if it's all dependent on Flag. But if we're talking

(11:28):
about Flag, playing second round and on and looking like himself,
I think Duke's been the better team. And you look
at how good Duke was in the non Con. I
know that the I know that the schedule has been brutal,
the AEC is not very good, But I still think Duke.

Speaker 5 (11:45):
Is better than Florida.

Speaker 6 (11:47):
I think Duke's my number three one seed though, so
I'm not too far off from you.

Speaker 8 (11:53):
Also, I would also throw in I might even go Duke.
I'd rather play Auburn than Duke. That I have a
little bit more doubts about this All team that I
think is probably the general. They do a lot of
stupid things throughout the course of beginning. They're talented, they're
very good, but I feel like there's gonna be a
costly point where they just make whether it's a reckless
foul or a stupid technical or something like that. It

(12:13):
feels like there's always something with this Auburn team.

Speaker 6 (12:16):
Yeah, and we're gonna we can hit on all these
games today. Obviously, I think it's interesting to talk about
it from a from a broad standpoint too, But I'm
Duke and Auburn are directly even for me and have
been kind of the whole year. I agree Auburn does
too many stupid things. Sam has kind of got in
my head about how young this Duke team is, and

(12:39):
it's just it's hard with how experienced these teams are
in the transfer portal era. And you know, I kind
of wanted to push back against Sam last week when
we were talking about this on radio and I started,
you know, thinking of the young teams of the last
ten to twenty years that have won, and there there
have been a couple, and there's been a couple who
you know went to the title game, but that's a
different era. I kind of had to stop myself. And

(13:01):
those teams were playing against some young teams as well,
where now every team's got five transfer portal guys in
their eight man rotation and most of those guys are
twenty two plus or twenty one plus.

Speaker 5 (13:11):
They're all going to the bars after the game.

Speaker 6 (13:12):
When you got Cooper, Flagg and Kannupple, you know, getting
into you know, eighteen underbars.

Speaker 9 (13:17):
But I think Cooper Flag is a problem going to
the bar.

Speaker 6 (13:20):
Yeah, but I think I think that I will say
Procter is the guy that kind of like every time
I get worried about that Duke age.

Speaker 5 (13:29):
Ye, I do think Proctor's a dog. I think that
guy's been through the wars.

Speaker 6 (13:33):
I think he's kind of a guard who can steady
the ship if there is some inexperience from Flagg and Knupple.
But yeah, they're right there together with me. But that
brings me to my main point. To me, Houston is
so easily the best team in the country. I am
in love with this. With this Houston team, especially like

(13:55):
Kelvin Sampson classically does not care about conference attorneys and
they're coming now and their ball in the Conference A tourney.

Speaker 9 (14:03):
It's hard to argue with you on Houston.

Speaker 10 (14:04):
I'm at the point They're not gonna obviously be the
number one overall seed. I'm at the point where I
think they're the best team in the country and I'm
not gonna put a future on them because you're not
gonna get a good price at this point. You could
have should have done that months ago. I should have
They're they're the best team in the country for me.
And maybe it's just because Auburn has played such great competition,
and maybe there's something to be said about playing such
a difficult SEC schedule and really the wear and tear

(14:27):
that it could can put on a team heading into
the tournament. We've seen some amazing conferences. Regular season conferences
go into the tournament and fall short, like the Big
Ten and twenty twenty one, the Big Twelve last year.
Even going back to the ACC decades ago, you've seen
those conferences fall short. I'm not saying Auburn and the
SEC is gonna do that. But I just it's there's

(14:48):
something to be said about the wear and tear Houston.
I think they're the best team in the country. I'm
not gonna be shocked at all if they're they're cutting
down the nets in April. I think they're a lock
to make the Final Four. It depends on their bracket.
I'm gonna feel more com putting them in the Final
Four than I will any other one seat Yeah, I
sean Yeah.

Speaker 8 (15:04):
And they're a team that kind of feeds into that
experience the way you talked about that, this is a
team that has some scars, has been through it, a
guy like LJ. Cryer leading the show, who's taken a
pretty notable shooting leap this year, shooting forty two point
five percent from three. And that's sort of always been
the thing with Houston is you know they're going to
defend hard, you know they're going to control the pace,
keep teams under raps, but can they actually fill it
up on the other end. I have way more confidence
than this Houston team to actually get the job done

(15:26):
offensively than really any other Houston team that I can
remember of late.

Speaker 7 (15:29):
So I'm with you. I am buying the hype.

Speaker 8 (15:31):
I do think this is a lock to be a
deep contender in the tournament and could very well see
them cutting down the nets when things are setting down.
So you be quick to it, Mark, But I'm joining
the party.

Speaker 5 (15:40):
Yeah.

Speaker 6 (15:40):
And I don't have a future on Houston either, So
it's a shame that I've been talking about this for
a month and a half then never put a bed in.
I'm kind of at the point where I'm just going
to put Houston brackets into a bunch of different pools
and kind of mess with the paths so I have
a couple of them and hopefully win a big bracket.

Speaker 10 (15:55):
I will say at right now, lun already has Alabama
as that two seat.

Speaker 9 (16:00):
Oh he's the toughest too, seed eight eight.

Speaker 10 (16:02):
That's the toughest two seed in the entire out of
any two seed. So if Houston gets matched up with them,
that's gonna be a hell of an alleviate game.

Speaker 5 (16:09):
I want Tennessee so bad.

Speaker 9 (16:11):
A yeah, that's what everyone's hoping for.

Speaker 5 (16:14):
I want it so bad.

Speaker 6 (16:15):
I also and whoever that who's the eighth two seed
right now as you have it up, it's obviously at Bama, Tennessee, Johnny's.

Speaker 9 (16:22):
Tennessee, and Michigan State.

Speaker 6 (16:24):
Michigan State is also a dream if you can get
if you can get a Michigan State, if you can
get a Tennessee.

Speaker 5 (16:29):
I think you're feeling good.

Speaker 6 (16:30):
And one thing about the schedule you just pointed out,
And I know Auburn's played an unreal schedule, second in
the country, but Houston. When we're talking about Houston, we're
not talking about an ACC schedule. We're not talking about
the gonzagas of years past. We're not talking about like
the Big East or anything like that. They played the
twenty sixth hardest schedule. It's actually a harder schedule than

(16:51):
Florida played in the SEC. It's a harder schedule than
Missouri played in the SEC, a couple other top SEC
team is the hardestkeyed and you go through kind of
their losses, obviously they are. They're nineteen and one in
the conference. My dog's going crazy. I have no idea
what's going on behind me.

Speaker 5 (17:09):
But twenty nine the.

Speaker 6 (17:10):
Radio listener or the audio the video listeners are getting
the show. But Houston's twenty nine and four, first in
Bartorbik now after yesterday.

Speaker 5 (17:18):
By the way, good for good for Houston to bump
up to number one.

Speaker 8 (17:22):
Shout out to Mark Henry Junior for pumping the Bartovic
stock too big time.

Speaker 7 (17:26):
He's he's been.

Speaker 8 (17:27):
I saw you putting brace onto that yesterday as well,
so E spreading the word, I would.

Speaker 6 (17:31):
Say, or the only reason I like it more than
kem pom is because I can filter for dates. It's
a it's a very interchange user friendly, user friendly.

Speaker 5 (17:41):
That's there. We go. Thank you for the words. I'm
bad at words.

Speaker 6 (17:43):
But if you look at Houston's four losses over the
full season, they're nineteen and one conference play.

Speaker 5 (17:50):
They are they haven't They've lost.

Speaker 6 (17:52):
One game since December first, since since the moment you know,
we were on Thanksgiving break. Basically, they've lost one. But
you dive into those four losses. On November ninth, they
lost a neutral court game to Auburn, who's now a
one seed. They lost that game by five points. They
lost a neutral court game on November twenty sixth to

(18:13):
Alabama in overtime. They're one of the top five teams
in the country. They lost on November thirtieth, after playing
four games in like six days, to San Diego State,
bad loss, but they lost it in overtime by three points.
Then they didn't lose for two months until they lost
February first at home to Texas Tech by one in overtime.

(18:35):
They've lost four games, three of them have been in overtime,
and in those four games, they've lost none by more
than five points, and they've lost all of them by
a combined fourteen points. Houston has not been blown out
a single time this year. I think this is a
special team, and I think no matter what the path is,
I believe in them to get it done. Having said that,

(18:57):
don't give me Houston, or don't give me Alabama, don't
give me Saint John's.

Speaker 10 (19:00):
There's some teams when you enter March that are just
they're immune to upsets, Like a few years ago that
Baylor Gonzaga when they were on a collision course, like
it didn't matter what happened who they're matched up with,
they were immune to upsets.

Speaker 9 (19:12):
Those two teams that Baylor Gonzaga year.

Speaker 10 (19:15):
Houston feels like one of these teams, like I don't
really care who theyre gonna be matched up with at
this point, whether it's an eight nine, who they draw
in that matchup. This team is immune to upsets, and
I'm with you that they are going to roll to
the Final four. If it's Alabama, that's gonna be a
really tough test. If it's any other two seats other
than Alabama, I have no doubts none, that you still

(19:36):
be in the final four.

Speaker 8 (19:37):
I gotta say, sam ostre tempting the basketball gods this morning, man.
Between the immune to upset statement here as well as
Maryland being too good to be cursed, as you stated
in the group chat here, dangerous game that you were playing.

Speaker 7 (19:49):
My friend Sean, we.

Speaker 9 (19:51):
Saw with the Eagles no matter what you said, it
didn't matter.

Speaker 10 (19:54):
It was like you could say, oh, the Commanders were
gonna kill them the Chiefs, Patrick Mahomes. Some teams are
too special where it doesn't matter if you curse them,
if you jinx them, it doesn't matter what you do.

Speaker 9 (20:05):
The Eagles for that team, another team is that team
as well.

Speaker 7 (20:09):
I'm just a big believer in the sports guys.

Speaker 5 (20:11):
Man.

Speaker 8 (20:11):
I spend I give my full support to the sports
guy and have a great deal of respect there, so
I don't ten fate that way.

Speaker 6 (20:19):
Let's take a quick break on the other side, I
want to pull up the bubble.

Speaker 5 (20:23):
I want to talk a little bit about the bubble.

Speaker 6 (20:25):
See how many spots we have left, who's fighting, who's
fighting for them? Where sam Lands is he passionate about
the bubble or is he kind of like me?

Speaker 5 (20:32):
Where I mostly don't care about the bubble.

Speaker 9 (20:34):
As long as you and C's out, I'm good.

Speaker 6 (20:36):
Okay, Well we'll talk about that on the other side.
Back after this on the Toughcover radio show.

Speaker 1 (20:41):
The Gambler, Philly's home for all things sports gambling.

Speaker 6 (20:58):
Welcome back off radio show right here on Fox Sports
The Gambler, and.

Speaker 5 (21:04):
I've got the bubble pulled up right here.

Speaker 6 (21:07):
We've got Sam Oshi, We've got Sean Bernard joining me
talking all things college basketball.

Speaker 5 (21:11):
If we could pull that screen back up for.

Speaker 6 (21:13):
The audio listeners, we'll or for the keep mixing it
up for the video listeners, we will.

Speaker 5 (21:20):
We'll explain for the audio listeners we're looking at the bubble.

Speaker 6 (21:24):
And Joe Lunardi has his last four buys as Utah State, Oklahoma, Arkansas,
and Vanderbilt. Those are the teams that don't have to
go to Dayton, don't have to play in the first four.
I think all those four teams are in, don't I
can't see a world where any of those teams miss
the tournament and get left out entirely. And then you

(21:46):
have the last four in. You have West Virginia, you
have San Diego State did not mean to click on
San Diego State. You have Xavier, you have Boise State
as the last four teams in.

Speaker 5 (21:56):
Those four teams.

Speaker 6 (21:57):
Would be the teams going to Dayton. Are any of
the team safely in SAM?

Speaker 9 (22:03):
I would say that.

Speaker 10 (22:06):
West Virginia probably safely in, and then San Diego State savior.
I mean, look, when you look at the teams that
are gonna go for bid Steelers, there's not really a
lot out there right now. Like Louisville UNC those I mean,
excuse me, Louisville Duke and the a SEC Championship. Those
teams are locked. All the teams in the Big Ten
tournament at this point locked like they're not. Sometimes you

(22:26):
have those years where it's Georgetown and Georgetown makes a
crazy run to the tournament, or NC State and the
ACC last year makes a crazy run. Those bid Steelers
aren't really out there in the Big twelve and all
these high major conferences. So when you look at the bubble,
like I think West Virginia, San Diego State, and Xavier
are pretty safely in. You could have the conversation about
Boise State. I think they deserve to make it. Really

(22:48):
the next four or the first four out and the
next four out are the ones that are more interesting
to me.

Speaker 6 (22:53):
I think the next four out are all definitively out.
I think unless you see Ryon wins obviously, but I
don't think they can get in with the loss. Ohio
State's out, I think wakes out. I think in North
Texas can only get in with a win.

Speaker 10 (23:07):
I think Ohio State's out, but they shouldn't. I don't
think they deserve to necessarily be out. Like I don't
know any question they're not gonna make the bracket. Maybe
it's some big ten homersm here. Ohio State is record
in the resume and how Ken PUM and net rankings
and all those things how they view them, which the
committee uses. We know that that should be valued higher
than like how I think Ohio State has a better

(23:29):
resume than North Carolina. And then you compare North Carolina
and Texas. North Carolina is one and eleven in quad
one games.

Speaker 9 (23:36):
They play in a horrific ACC.

Speaker 10 (23:38):
They have no business being ahead of Texas, who's seven
and eleven in quad one wins.

Speaker 9 (23:42):
That's a six quad one win difference.

Speaker 10 (23:45):
And North Carolina just because the name brand, the recognition,
the blue Blood is the first four out and there's
a possibility they're gonna be the dance they have. They
have a prime opportunity yesterday and they were down twenty
early and then have a dumb lane violation. You can say,
don't call that bad call. Sure, it's the rules, Like
he hits the rules, Like you could complain the other
way if they if they did call it, or choose

(24:07):
me if they didn't call it, be like, what's the
point of having this rule if you're not going to
actually enforce it. The guy stepped in the lane. It
was a lane violation. UNC blew a prime opportunity away.
They have one quad one win. They don't deserve to
be on this first four out or next four outline
as far as I'm concerned, Yeah, I.

Speaker 6 (24:24):
Kind of see both sides on the UNC thing, Like
you're right with the quad one residme.

Speaker 5 (24:28):
I also think they're playing a lot better lately.

Speaker 6 (24:30):
Obviously, the ACC is bad schedule, but they have been
kind of mashing those teams for a while. I do
think if you go with the recency bias argument, I
do understand that they're playing better than a team like
West Virginia, who West Virginia is a team that I
don't get it, Like I don't get the West Virginia team.

Speaker 5 (24:47):
I think they stink.

Speaker 6 (24:48):
I can't wait to pick against them if they are
in the tournament outside of the first four, and if
they are in the first four, I don't think they
make a run. The only team I'm passionate about really
in this whole argument, and I'm passionate for them, and
I usually don't get this way with bubble teams is Xavier.

Speaker 5 (25:05):
This Xavier team.

Speaker 6 (25:07):
Is so much better than every other team I'm seeing
on that list in my opinion, in the bubble.

Speaker 5 (25:12):
And you look at what they've done over.

Speaker 6 (25:14):
The last couple you know, over the last stretch of
time here, if you take out the first month, I
think that they'd be a top twenty five team in
the country. And obviously, you know, the first month matters,
but you look at how good that they've been since.
Let's let me get the record here that this is
bad Radio seven and one in the last eight games,

(25:36):
and it's like thirteen and four in the last seventeen games.
I think this is an Xavier team if you're especially
if you're doing the recency bias thing. I think they're
playing much better than all the Mountain West teams. I
think they're playing much better than you know, in West Virginia,
than Texas, than Indiana, North Carolina. I don't really get

(25:57):
why Xavier's kind of on this in this conversation.

Speaker 8 (26:01):
Yeah, and it's interesting West Virginia kind of popped to
me too, and just to lay out like their full situation.
We know they've always been like a defensive minded program.
That's how they've built out. They're twentieth in league in
points against, allowing opponents just sixty four point eight points
per game out of the three hundred and sixty four
qualifying teams. Offensively, they rank three hundred and sixteenth in
that category there, and honestly, like I've had games where

(26:21):
my eye test looks even worse than that that, it's
just been ugly basketball out them out there. I'm in
full agreement with Sam on North Carolina that I don't
think they really deserve to be in the conversation for
cracking this tournament, and even with them playing better of late,
I still just have my like, have this like sour
taste in my mouth about their entire season. That team
from a talent standpoint, from a roster standpoint, straight up
should be so much better. That this is a team

(26:42):
that we should be talking about as like a title
contender conversation, and they haven't looked like that at all
this year. So even with like an encouraging stretch of
play that they have ended the season on, I'm pretty
like frustrated with the entire season for North Carolina. So
don't think they should be any part of the conversation.

Speaker 6 (26:56):
Yeah, if it's a resume conversation, yeah, they don't belong in.

Speaker 5 (27:00):
And I understand that that's what it is.

Speaker 6 (27:02):
Just saying, like, if it's if we're talking about the
first four and we're handicapping games in your boise state,
you'd rather play San Diego State or West Virginia or
Arkansas or.

Speaker 5 (27:12):
Maybe not Arkansas.

Speaker 7 (27:13):
Actueah, Arkansas. Arkansas is a weird bo to me too.

Speaker 6 (27:16):
Yeah, I should leave I should leave the SEC teams
out of the conversation, honestly, But if you're one of
those teams, you'd rather see any of those last four
in teams. Besides, I think Xavier, who, by the way,
since January tenth, I have the stat now since January tenth,
shout out to bark Torvic, very very good user face
on the website, thirteen and four since January tenth, twenty

(27:38):
fourth in the country, thirty sixth in offense, twentieth in defense.
I just think that if we're talking about the teams
that are playing the best right now, they're a spot
above Texas A and M. This is a two month stretch.
Texas A and M is going to be a three seed.
They're beuf Kansas, They're above Creighton, Ole, Miss Georgia, Illinois, Baylor,
New Mexico, at North Carol Yukon, Arkansas, Ohio State, Vandy,

(28:03):
a ton of teams that are going to be in
the tournament, and obviously those first two months count. But
I'm kind of the mindset generally that I don't care
too much about November and December when I'm talking about
the teams that I'm looking at right now. So I
think Exavier belongs in. But let's kind of let's let's
put that aside. I'll get rid of that. We'll talk

(28:23):
all things we'll focus on today. Let's shift the gears
to the conference championships today. And Sam's absolutely right. I
hadn't thought about it until he brought it up. You
talk about the bid Steelers, SEC none Big Ten, none
ACC Championship today, the Big East Championship today. Saint John's

(28:46):
and Creighton, they're they're not getting one in there. So
I think, honestly, if we're talking about bid Steelers, the
conversation is really reversed a little bit where it's more
of a does VCU.

Speaker 5 (28:59):
Get in if you lose an A ten championship?

Speaker 6 (29:01):
Probably I think they probably don't.

Speaker 9 (29:06):
I don't know. I wouldn't.

Speaker 10 (29:07):
I wouldn't give them nod just because the A ten
hasn't been that great this year like it's historically been,
and really historically it's been a one bid conference and
doesn't really deserve more.

Speaker 9 (29:18):
But one I was looking at was if Memphis loses.

Speaker 10 (29:20):
They played too Lane today in the semi finals of
the of the American Athletic Commerce But if Memphis loses,
that becomes the two big conference ye kind of like
it was last year.

Speaker 9 (29:29):
Because Memphis is getting a bid no matter what.

Speaker 10 (29:31):
So that's the really only bid Steeler, which isn't even
coming from a major conference.

Speaker 5 (29:35):
And then I guess you have Colorado State.

Speaker 6 (29:39):
That's kind of a big one today for the bid
Steelers because they're on the bubble. They weren't listed on
the Nardi's bubble there actually were.

Speaker 10 (29:47):
They I don't I don't think they're in if no, no,
if they lose, but they have a prime opportunity to
steal a bit today.

Speaker 6 (29:55):
I'll tell you what I hate the Mountain West. I
will be picking against all of those teams in the tournament.
I don't think any of those teams are impressive, to
be honest. The one team that kind of impresses me
and kind of interests me.

Speaker 5 (30:07):
Is Colorado State.

Speaker 6 (30:09):
Neick Clifford is just such a baller. I think he's
so clearly the best player in that conference. I know,
I think Dent won the player of the year in
that conference, but Neick Clifford's a guy who I've just
seen take over enough games. They also have a couple
of guards in Evans and Lake who can you know
they average double figures? They can they both average two
plus assists, one one at three assists, so they can

(30:30):
at least make a couple of things happen at the
guard position for Clifford.

Speaker 10 (30:34):
And I think, Mark, real quick, there's a stat I
don't have forty rye and I will by the time
the Selection s So comes around. But I'm always interested
in conferences that that do well or don't do well
in the tournament.

Speaker 9 (30:46):
The Mountain West really struggles in the tournament.

Speaker 10 (30:49):
I remember looking at that stat last year and being like,
all right, fade the Mountain West in the tournament.

Speaker 9 (30:53):
I'll get that by the time Selection Sunday rolls around.

Speaker 10 (30:55):
But it's similar with the with the the Big Scott
like that, that conference really struggles in the court tournament.
So it's always interesting to me, like how your conference
competition translates to the tournament. Some really well, some not
so well. Mountain West usually not so well.

Speaker 5 (31:10):
One last question about the Big Steelers.

Speaker 6 (31:12):
And you said no to VCU, so I will imagine
that you're gonna say no to this. You see San Diego,
there's there's no chance they get in with a loss today.

Speaker 10 (31:23):
Probably not like they're a darling like everyone America loves them.
I would say probably not, just because look it's it's
the it's the Big West Conference. Like you're not You're
not valuing teams in the Big West. You're not making
the Big West a two big conference. So I would
say probably not. But they they I think they deserve

(31:45):
to be more in the bubble than they even have been.

Speaker 8 (31:49):
And chat quick shout out to the late game. I
don't want to forget about my Grand Canyon University, who
I likely will be picking depending on how the bracket chiffs,
and of course that they can secure their way by
one in the final tonight. I love that team, man,
And I know I talked about him a ton last year,
but Tyan Grant Foster, dude, he's an NBA player. Every
time I watch him, I just feel that way.

Speaker 7 (32:07):
I do. Hope we need a chance for him to
have his tournament moment again this year.

Speaker 10 (32:10):
We revised that real quick mark because you see Irvin
Irvine is on the bubble.

Speaker 9 (32:15):
Uh they're on the next four out right.

Speaker 10 (32:17):
Now, so now they are yeah, yeah, they You assume
that you see San Diego is going to be in
and win the game, but you see Irvines on the bubble.
So it's gonna be interesting what they do if somehow
you see San Diego's upset.

Speaker 6 (32:28):
Oh, I think both you see San Diego and VCU
are very much in the conversation. If you lose, I
don't know if you can lose today, but you.

Speaker 9 (32:38):
See San Diego more than VCU.

Speaker 5 (32:40):
I think if.

Speaker 6 (32:41):
VCU wins today, though I think they're twenty seven and six,
then like I think you're probably I think I think
DCU gets in if they win today. How about that
for a take, I agree, league if they win today
and lose.

Speaker 9 (32:55):
Tomorrow, that'd be interesting. Like I just I don't.

Speaker 10 (32:58):
I don't feel good about giving a league like that
two biz.

Speaker 5 (33:02):
I don't think.

Speaker 9 (33:04):
I don't think a Xavier.

Speaker 10 (33:05):
Or a Boise State, or like a North Carolina or
Texas like I wasn't.

Speaker 9 (33:11):
Obviously I'm not high on North Carolina. They don't deserve it,
but I.

Speaker 10 (33:14):
Would always value those major conference teams over some of
these mid majors.

Speaker 6 (33:20):
Let's shift it over to just favorite plays on the
board today, Sean, do you have anything that jumped out
to you on the college board?

Speaker 7 (33:27):
Yeah, I do.

Speaker 8 (33:28):
I actually like Michigan State against Wisconsin, and at Wisconsin's
getting a lot of love.

Speaker 7 (33:31):
I'm not quite buying it. They're good.

Speaker 8 (33:34):
They played phenomenal yesterday. They looked excellent on the floor,
broke things open really in the second half of that
game there. But I do think Michigan State top to bottom,
is more complete team that I do think they bring
it in and I do like the minus two and
a half there. I do like Alabama on the money
line against Florida day is probably one of my favorite plays.
You can get plus one forty five on that. I
think Alabama runs off the gym. I'm not as bought
in as this Florida team as probably the biggest consensus.

(33:56):
They're definitely good. They're definitely a one seed caliber program,
but they are a team that I don't think is
upset proof or invincible to an upset the way Sam
Astrea would say there. So I have my eye on
them from a tournament standpoint, And do you think Alabama
takes care of business today? I like Saint Joe's on
the money line against George Mason today as well, that
they're playing their best basketball of the season at the
right time. I think they have a chance of winning

(34:16):
this tournament and being a big stealer in that category
there that I think they have a real chance at
taking down the entire thing. So that is probably my
Saint John's later minus four and a half up thrown
as well. Big believer in the Johnnies.

Speaker 5 (34:27):
Can Bama get to A one if they beat Florida
and Auburn?

Speaker 7 (34:30):
Yeah, I think so.

Speaker 9 (34:32):
Yeah, I think they'd leap. They'd leap Florida for sure,
and they would deserve it.

Speaker 6 (34:36):
I think, yeah, I think they deserve it if they
win today, but I don't think. I think they'd have
to win tomorrow also, which yeah, I love Bama.

Speaker 5 (34:45):
I think that Alabama team played.

Speaker 6 (34:47):
An absolute gauntlet and I know that I have to
look strength to schedule to see where they lined up
or how compared to Auburn or some of these other
top top teams. But I don't even know if it
captures how hard their schedule was because they had a
specific eight to nine game stretch or maybe it was
like an eleven game stretch where every team was ranged
like seven of them were Top eight, like it was

(35:10):
just I don't think I've.

Speaker 5 (35:11):
Ever seen it.

Speaker 6 (35:11):
Rud have to do an eleven game stretch like that,
and I think they went like six and five in it,
like or maybe seven and four I forget what they're
what they went in it, but yeah, one of.

Speaker 9 (35:20):
Those losses was was to Florida too. Yeah at home rematch.

Speaker 10 (35:24):
Yeah, that's a rematch for that today. And just real
quick on that game because obviously it's maybe the biggest
or one of the biggest games of the day. I'm
I love Alabama this game same, but I'm the biggest
Florida belief. I only have two futures and one of
them is on Maryland and one of them is on
Florida to win the national title. The way Florida operates
their offense is the most I've ever seen at most

(35:44):
I've seen in college that runs a pro style offense,
like they're bigs. Operate from the top of the key,
from the high post, and they'll set do dribble handoffs.
We'll pass the ball to wing, go follow and set
a ball screen. We'll have cutters flying around them like
they operate with their big as a hub because they
such great passing bigs. And that's the stuff you see
in the NBA, which is really rare in college. But

(36:04):
like when you see the jokich or the Sengoons or
the mbiads and you see all these even a d
when he was on the Lakers.

Speaker 9 (36:10):
All these guys were operating as the hub.

Speaker 10 (36:12):
And the Florida actually runs their offense the most pro
style offense that I've seen in college, and I'm a
huge fan.

Speaker 9 (36:18):
Of it obviously.

Speaker 10 (36:19):
I love their backcourt, Elijah Martin doing his thing, and
the one of the best top five and offensive rebounding
rate in the country.

Speaker 9 (36:27):
So like they create extra possessions.

Speaker 10 (36:29):
They already have a great offense, but they create extra
possessions by just crashing the glass. I love this Florida team,
but I'm on Alabama today. I just think it's a
rematch spot. I think Alabama the way the way they're playing.

Speaker 7 (36:42):
That was McAfee.

Speaker 5 (36:43):
That was very That was very MacAfee. He did the
whole Florida thing. Give me Alabama.

Speaker 10 (36:48):
I wish I had a crowd behind me to boom
me and whatever whatever home town I was in. But yeah,
so I'm I'm I'm a huge Florida believer. I don't
care if they lose today. I still think they easily
can win the national title in April.

Speaker 9 (37:01):
But I'm on Alabama.

Speaker 5 (37:02):
Are we sure they have a national title defense?

Speaker 6 (37:05):
Florida And I know that that's funny to ask after
I just praised Alabama.

Speaker 5 (37:09):
But I think that the difference for me was Florida and.

Speaker 6 (37:13):
Bama and why I'm more willing to buy Bama than Florida,
and Bama actually isn't.

Speaker 5 (37:21):
As good defensively.

Speaker 6 (37:22):
According to Kenpom, Florida has the ninth defense, but I've
seen too many, too many games where Florida is just.

Speaker 5 (37:31):
So easy to score on.

Speaker 6 (37:33):
And I think with the reason that I'm more willing
to buy into it with Bama and buy into the
offense is because they went to the Final Four last
year and they still have Seers, they still have Nelson,
they still have Filon. You have the Final Four experience
from a team that is, you know, the same court.

Speaker 5 (37:50):
As last season, And how many teams in.

Speaker 6 (37:52):
The country can you really say that about, So I'd
kind of be shocked if Bama doesn't make the Elite Eight.
I can't say the same with Florida, like not the
upset proof thing with Bama because Bama could obviously come
out and not shoot it well with how their strategy is,
you always leave yourself open for a game like that.
But there's if you're telling me, like rank the teams
that you think are sure will be there in the

(38:14):
elite eight. Bama is like number two, like right behind
Houston for me, and Florida I could see getting picked
off with the inexperienced coach who hasn't been there with
this unit, and maybe a defense that I think can
get picked on from three especially.

Speaker 5 (38:29):
I think.

Speaker 6 (38:31):
I'm just if you're making me pick one of the
one seeds that I think is vulnerable and then you
throw maybe even like Bama and Saint John's. In that conversation,
I'm still saying it's Florida before we get to Tennessee.

Speaker 10 (38:42):
Yeah, I don't think Florida is immune to an upset.
But what I'll say is what we learned last year
with Alabama's defense, is that if you have a good
enough offense, a top five offense in the country, which
Florida has this year, and you can get timely stops,
your defense really doesn't matter that much in the tournament.
Of course, you can't let teams hang up ninety points consistently,

(39:03):
but if you can get timely stops, which is exactly
what Alabama did last year, they were an elite offense
a pretty bad defense for most of the year, but
they got timely stops time after time again in the
Sweet sixteen Elite eight all the way rode it to
the Final four. That's I think Florida's defense is good
enough where it's like, their offense is so good and
as a great rebounding team, especially offensively, they create extra

(39:25):
possessions for themselves, and so their offense is so good
and so prolific that if you can get timely stops,
which I think they can, that's good enough to ride
you to a Final four championship, even even cutting down
the nets.

Speaker 6 (39:37):
Yeah, my dumb question was about to be do they
have the ceiling that Bama had.

Speaker 5 (39:41):
Last year with Final four appearance.

Speaker 6 (39:43):
I think ceiling meaning to me, are they I have
a couple teams that I think Yeah, I could see
them making it to the Final four, but I can't
see them cutting down the nets.

Speaker 9 (39:55):
Oh, so you're asking about the Florida's ceiling. I'll just say, do.

Speaker 5 (39:59):
You think they can title? I?

Speaker 10 (40:00):
Uh, real quick, I think florida ceiling is a national
title like Alabama's ceiling last year. The only reason their
ceiling wasn't a national title is is they played a
juggernaut in Yukon who I don't know any teams over
the last decade that would have been that Yukon seam.
That's the only reason their ceiling Wasn't it a national title?
I thought that Alabama ceiling against normal circumstances against any

(40:21):
other team really was a national championship. So I think
Florida's ceiling is that too. It's a national title this year.

Speaker 5 (40:27):
So we take we take Duke. This is a question
for both of you guys.

Speaker 6 (40:30):
We take Duke Houston, Auburn, Florida, Alabama, and Saint John's.
We put them aside, and I exclude Maryland from this conversation.
Outside of those top six, and Sam can't say Maryland,
who can win the title?

Speaker 5 (40:43):
Who has the best chance to win the title?

Speaker 6 (40:46):
You've got Michigan State, You've got Tennessee, You've got Texas Tech,
You've got Clemson, Iowa State, Louisville, Texas A and m Kentucky.
Maybe I don't have to continue further, but that's kind
of my my my question there.

Speaker 5 (41:00):
Outside of the top six, who are you taking?

Speaker 8 (41:03):
Yeah, I know Clemson's gonna be your answer there, Markus
you've turned on mister Clemson. Although yeah, pretty concerning result yesterday,
I think Texas Tech would probably be my answer to
that question there. I'm not in love with that team,
but I do see a world where that could happen there,
like the way they play, like their style of basketball,
the brand that they've built out there, and kind of
the defensive commitment that they show for flashes there. But
I do think that this is gonna be a tournament

(41:24):
that I don't think we see like the Cinderella run.

Speaker 7 (41:26):
From a national championship perspective.

Speaker 8 (41:28):
I think it is gonna be the big dogs fighting
it out when it is all said and done, and
the names that we did put to the side here
are really the guys in the mix at the end.
But I think Texas Tech would be my answer there.

Speaker 10 (41:38):
I agree that I think it's gonna be pretty chalk
like when we get to that final four. It's gonna
be pretty chalk like. Maybe three one seeds, maybe maybe
two seed in there. And I think that's a good thing.
When you actually want to get to the final four,
you want the best matchups. But you're saying you're saying
no Auburn, no Florida, no Duke, no Houston.

Speaker 9 (41:54):
And no Saint John's and pick someone else and no
Maryland for you, it will yeah, because of course that
is the right answer.

Speaker 5 (42:00):
By the way, I don't think you're wrong and Maryland
might be the answer.

Speaker 10 (42:05):
I would say, like, I know you're not high on
this team, and I'm not really, but I could see
Michigan State putting together a run. I think like the
way they go, they lock in defensively, they have enough depth,
balanced scoring attack where any guy could really go for twenty,
but they're really gonna get a good ten to twelve
from everyone, obviously Jane Atkins leading that charge.

Speaker 9 (42:26):
I think Michigan State could put a run together.

Speaker 10 (42:29):
Could I also see them losing in the second round
to a seven to ten, of course, but I think
Michigan State, if you're gonna give me, exclude all those
other teams, including Maryland. I think Michigan State could make
a legitimate run. But look, thirteen of the last seventeen
national titles or champions have been one seeds. Yeah, like,
it's gonna be a one seed that wins it in
all likelihood, maybe a two seed, maybe even go to

(42:52):
the three seed line. But it's gonna be one of
these best teams that win I got two more names off,
throw in the mix real quick.

Speaker 7 (42:57):
I hate that.

Speaker 8 (42:58):
I can't quit this team. I've been on and off
the band wagon all year, Arizona. I would throw a
slight chance of that. I don't understand why, but I
can't quit. Caleb love Man like I. He does some
incredibly stupid things in a basketball court. Is stretches, but
I like I like the way blays. I like that team,
and I don't know they impressive win last night. The
last team I'll throw in the mix. Is there a
zero percent chance that Yukon three peats.

Speaker 5 (43:20):
Yukon's on my list?

Speaker 9 (43:22):
Okay, throw on your list, throw on my list.

Speaker 6 (43:24):
If I'm saying after those top six teams who could
make a run, I could see. I mean, I just
bet them eighty to one to win the title yesterday.
There are one hundred to one now that bet by me.

Speaker 9 (43:34):
Well, you know what's interesting?

Speaker 10 (43:36):
So thirteen and last seventeen national championships were one seeds,
the four the four that weren't three of them were
low seeded Yukon teams. There was the four seed Yukon
twenty twenty three, seven seed UCON in twenty fourteen, and
three seed Yukon in twenty eleven, and then another one
was two seed Nova in twenty sixteen. So if it's
not going to be a one seed, it's probably gonna

(43:57):
be a Yukon team.

Speaker 9 (43:57):
But my answer is no, they have no chance of
three people.

Speaker 5 (44:01):
Yeah, I mean we've touched on.

Speaker 6 (44:02):
I have like a tier of nine teams after those
six teams that are all kind of together.

Speaker 5 (44:08):
And Maryland's in that tier too.

Speaker 6 (44:10):
You know you have Maryland in that tier, you have
Clemson in that tier. Clemson concern me last night. I
will say they call a foul, they probably win the game,
so or whatever. But Kentucky is in that tier for me.
Just Kentucky's a little bit like that Bama team last
year where if you tell me they just got hot
offensively and went on a run, maybe got a nice path,

(44:31):
would not shock me. If Kentucky's there in San Antonio
for the final four, for sure, I.

Speaker 9 (44:37):
Gotta say I'm off Kentucky.

Speaker 5 (44:40):
That's fine, Yeah, that's fair.

Speaker 10 (44:41):
Like the only reason is I really think I think
they're good. I think they have a talent, But I
have to go through someone's schedule and you got to
produce four or five six straight winning streaks in your
conference play. And I know SEC is such a challenging conference,
but Auburn did that, Alabama did that, Florida did that.

Speaker 9 (44:56):
Like Kentucky.

Speaker 10 (44:57):
You look at their schedule, it's like two wins, two losses,
like a win loss, Like there's no stretch where they
were consistently producing solid performances on both ends over a
four or five game stretch, and that's what you need,
obviously to win. I know it's SEC, it's great competition,
but for that reason, I'm out of Kentucky.

Speaker 5 (45:13):
And yeah, definitely, it definitely hurts.

Speaker 6 (45:18):
I'll just throw this one last team out there before
we move on. And it kind of segues to the
Big East Championship tonight, and Sean said that he'd liked
Saint John's, Creighton's really good Creighton, and I walked out
of that game not really feeling worse about Yukon, but
feeling better about Creighton. Like I've been on record, I
think the Big East is underrated this year. I think

(45:40):
all of those teams, if you give me all five
of Saint John's, Yukon, Marquette, Creighton, and Xavier, I think
four of those teams are advancing to the second round.
At least maybe you get all five, but I think
you probably split Xavier and Marquette. I think Yukon, Creighton,
and Saint John's obviously are all advanced thing to the

(46:00):
second round, and I think two to three of them
end up in the second weekend. I think one of
the stories will be the Big East over performing what
we thought they were.

Speaker 5 (46:10):
And I think this Creton team, if.

Speaker 6 (46:14):
You're a one seed, you're a two seed, and you
get them as a seven or and eight, you have
to deal with Kalkbrenner, as experienced as he is, and
how many runs they've made in these recent years. I
think McDermott's a great coach, Ashworth so experienced as well.
I wouldn't want to deal with this Creighton team if
I was a one or a two seed.

Speaker 7 (46:31):
Yeah, totally in agreement there.

Speaker 8 (46:32):
And I probably can't put them fully on the list
of a team that I think could win it all,
but they're kind of they definitely can make a run.
We'll put it that way that I think they can
win a couple of games in the tournament there.

Speaker 7 (46:43):
I agree.

Speaker 8 (46:43):
I think that was very impressive performance last night, and
I loved the after the fact the dunking at home
as the clock ones down, Like, to me, that was
fair game on all parts that you should want to
dance on Yukon's grave a little bit, especially after Hurley
walked into that arena doing all the ring celebration and
talking to the crowd waving his way off. And I
have no problem with you kind of having an issue
with that either. Is so for me, fair game all around.

(47:03):
But love how that game ended.

Speaker 5 (47:05):
The hate for Hurley's getting ridiculous people. Yeah he's the man,
he's the.

Speaker 10 (47:13):
Two times arrogant as the man you know, also the
man Jay Wright. You never saw that arrogance from Jay Right.

Speaker 5 (47:19):
Yeah, he's not Jay Wright. But I think it's good
for college basketball.

Speaker 7 (47:22):
Agree.

Speaker 5 (47:23):
I think it's great.

Speaker 10 (47:24):
I'm with you on that because any any player or
person or coach whatever it is that evokes emotion out
of people is good.

Speaker 9 (47:31):
But I don't like him the motion I'm getting.

Speaker 5 (47:33):
I don't like this.

Speaker 6 (47:34):
I love it, And I get if you're a big
East fan of another team hating it, or if you're
you know, on the other team, or if you're the
coach of the other team, Like I have no problem
with creating slamming at home. I have no problem with
McDermott going after his kid after the game.

Speaker 5 (47:49):
I don't care about any of it.

Speaker 6 (47:51):
But if you're just like a neutral college basketball fan
tweeting about how mad you are at Danny Hurley going nuts.

Speaker 5 (47:58):
I don't get it. Like I I think it's amazing.
It's great content. And by the way the.

Speaker 6 (48:04):
Refs were screwing Yukon time in and time out. I
think sometimes it goes Hurley's way where he's so annoying
that the refs will just give him stuff to kind of,
you know, appease him.

Speaker 5 (48:14):
It was not that way last night. In MSG.

Speaker 6 (48:17):
They had three out of bounds calls in thirty seconds
that were like pretty clearly out on Creighton, and they
called them all out on Yukon. I thought Danny Hurley
was gonna strangle a guy. And then right after they
had to go to review to say that there was
a foul before a shot clock violation or something, and
Danny Hurley was was getting screwed by.

Speaker 5 (48:36):
The ref last night.

Speaker 6 (48:37):
In my opinion, I was biased, but I think, uh, I.

Speaker 5 (48:42):
Don't get the hate. I love it.

Speaker 6 (48:43):
If you're if you're Villanova, if you're Creton. If you're Xavier,
if you're Saint John's.

Speaker 5 (48:49):
I get that. If you're I don't get Sam Hayton
hating Danny.

Speaker 8 (48:52):
I like, this is the first year I've hated Dan Hurley.

Speaker 7 (48:56):
I've been like a hurly guy.

Speaker 8 (48:57):
I wouldn't say a hurly guy, but I've respected and
like what he down the past two years.

Speaker 7 (49:01):
He's been intolerable. This season, man is the opposite.

Speaker 5 (49:05):
I really fort he won double national titles.

Speaker 6 (49:08):
I'd be like, come on, you're not you know you're
not the problem.

Speaker 5 (49:11):
He could, he could throw a middle finger up.

Speaker 7 (49:14):
And he does.

Speaker 10 (49:17):
About the I don't care about Spring the fans like.
I like that part of his personality. My problem is
the ref stuff. It's like, dude, like.

Speaker 9 (49:25):
The calls and you know this.

Speaker 10 (49:26):
You know the calls aren't actually that much against you
on a night to night basis like it all evens
itself out, and he is just intolerable with the refs.
If I was a ref, I'm not giving this guy
any call. I'll take all the all the chirping in
my ear, I'll take all of it. I'm not giving
this guy any call. If I'm an opposing coach, I'm furious.
It's so annoying. The ref stuff and the stuff he

(49:46):
says to the refs that's just so out of bounds.
It's like, dude, it's not your the calls aren't going
against you this much. This happens to every team. I
don't care about all the other stuff like that. That's
good personality stuff as far as I'm concerned. It's the refs, Like,
leave the reps alone. It's just too much.

Speaker 8 (50:01):
I can't believe he doesn't get ejected more. He deserves
it every game.

Speaker 6 (50:05):
Yeah, by the way, it feels like there's a lot
of coaches that really go after the refs.

Speaker 7 (50:13):
Not like that though, like he has a way about.

Speaker 9 (50:15):
It is the guy that goes after refs, but not
to that.

Speaker 5 (50:18):
It's different.

Speaker 6 (50:19):
But there's like mid level guys who go after refs,
like not like like mid level D one guys. But
I'm saying, like guys who are not on the level
of Hurley and is a who go after rest but.

Speaker 5 (50:29):
No one cares because it's not Danny Hurley and it's not.

Speaker 8 (50:32):
A but when he drops like the I'm the best
coach in the in this entire sport or whatever, right,
But like that doesn't have any impact on whether or
not that was a foul or not. Man like like,
I don't. I don't understand what that has to do
with it.

Speaker 9 (50:45):
It's like you don't deserve.

Speaker 5 (50:47):
Yeah, the personality.

Speaker 6 (50:50):
I love it, And maybe if I had a team
that he was going against, I would care.

Speaker 5 (50:54):
I don't have a favorite team in college basketball.

Speaker 6 (50:56):
It's the one sport I'm able to watch without really
any care in the world.

Speaker 5 (51:00):
And I think the early stuff is awesome.

Speaker 6 (51:03):
I'm rooting for him to be a main character of March,
and we'll be talking more about that next weekend and
all week. This week, We've got a ton of content.
I know, me and Sam have a big stream coming tomorrow.
We'll see if Sean Bernard can can make an appearance.
Joe Tansey might pop in a couple other Gambler people
after that. I know we got Beef and Maclay, We

(51:23):
got Sean Brace before we get out of here, and
we have more stuff.

Speaker 5 (51:27):
Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday. We'll be doing stuff all week.

Speaker 6 (51:29):
I'm off next week, so a ton of content we'll
be coming from the Gambler to the Gambler account, my account,
Sam's account, Sean's account, wherever you could find it.

Speaker 5 (51:38):
All of us will be doing a ton of stuff
here for March Madness.

Speaker 6 (51:41):
But before we get you out of here, is there
any games we didn't get to that you have a
big bed in.

Speaker 10 (51:47):
Yeah, so I have not to toot my own home here.
But I had a five and oh Friday.

Speaker 6 (51:52):
I don't want to hear any horn tuoting because I
think I've had the worst two days of my college best.

Speaker 5 (51:59):
Now I'm joking too, thorn.

Speaker 9 (52:01):
That probably means I'm due for an zero to five Saturday.
But here here's the card.

Speaker 10 (52:06):
We talked about some of these games already, Louisville plus
five and a half, I have a future on them,
so I'm just to win the ACC tournament.

Speaker 9 (52:11):
So I'm just doubling down on that.

Speaker 10 (52:12):
Saint Joe's minus one and a half against George Mason,
like it, don't love it.

Speaker 9 (52:17):
Like Saint Joe's.

Speaker 10 (52:18):
They're just when you watch a full forty minutes of them,
sometimes they look like the best team in the A
ten and A tournament team and other times you're like,
this team is so talented, what are they doing on
the floor.

Speaker 9 (52:27):
But I'm going with.

Speaker 10 (52:27):
Saint Joe's minus one and a half, which I know
Sean has as well. Alabama plus three and a half.
We talked about that game Michigan State. I'm riding with
Sean on that minus two and a half, and I
know he's riding with me on the favorite play of
the day Omega Max.

Speaker 9 (52:41):
It's Maryland.

Speaker 10 (52:42):
It's minus four and a half against this Michigan team
that we just played at the end of the regular season,
and we were up double digits going to the halftime.
We were up almost twenty in the second half. They
put together a ton of runs. The score isn't indicative
of how that game went. We dominated Michigan and you
saw what we did against Ill last night.

Speaker 9 (53:00):
That was a perfect half.

Speaker 10 (53:02):
We hung up over fifty points, zero turnovers, rebounded the
ball incredibly well. This is the best starting five in
the country and it's a top six to seventeen in
the country. Their depth is an issue. Jordan Geronimo is
giving good bench minutes right now. DeShawn Harris Smith is
a good defender, but he's a zero in offense. But
the starting five with Selton Macguel, Rodney Rice who shot

(53:24):
the hell out of the ball yesterday, Jacoby Bigilespi Derek
Queen's gonna be a top ten pick in the NBA
Draft this June. And then Julian Reeves holding things things
down as the anchor of the defense and a phenomenal rebounder.
This is the best starting five in the country. This
isn't even Maryland propaganda anymore like it was like a
couple months ago. Everyone's hopping on the train. This is
They've won twelve in the last fourteen games. There is

(53:45):
not more than two or three teams in the country
playing better basketball than Maryland Tarrapins right now. They're going
to win the Big Ten Championship. It is going to
be and they're they're gonna get there today. They've been
in the Big Ten for eleven seasons now. They haven't
appeared in the Big Ten Final once, not once. This
means something. If they can beat Michigan today, which they
will because with the better team, and get to the
Big Ten Final and then win that Big Ten Championship,

(54:07):
ride the momentum into March and I'll see you boys
in San Antonio. But Maryland mines four and a half today.

Speaker 5 (54:13):
Wow, there he is.

Speaker 6 (54:14):
We'll talk to him more tomorrow post game after the
Big Ten championship that we we think we all think
Maryland's gonna be in.

Speaker 5 (54:23):
Uh, so we're we're gonna be checking in on him tomorrow.

Speaker 6 (54:26):
We'll get his live reaction to where they're seated in
the bracket, but we'll get.

Speaker 5 (54:31):
To my picks on the other side. Let's take a
break back after this with more Tough Cover Radio Show.

Speaker 1 (54:36):
Number one on your car radio preset hand the new
and improved Diehard Radio apps w D A Yes and
WD two seven three D Philadelphia.

Speaker 5 (54:44):
Is Fox Sports Radio The Gambler.

Speaker 2 (54:48):
It may not may nothing job understand nothing was done
to me, So I don't piano stap any, I won't
it main.

Speaker 6 (55:02):
Welcome back to the Tough Cover Radio Show.

Speaker 5 (55:07):
I am your host, mar Kevy Junior. We are covering the.

Speaker 6 (55:11):
Second hour of the Tough Cover Radio Show right here
on Fox Sports. To Gambler, my co host back in
the studio on the ones, to Sean Bernard, you can
give a follow up at Shawnaderscore Bernard One. We're gonna
do a little sports carousel, a little ride around the
sports carousel this whole hour, just all things going on
in the sports world. I didn't give my plays for

(55:31):
the day yet, so let me just real quick run
down those we've we've I've kind of hinted out a
couple of them here, so let's let's close that loop.
My first play today is at one o'clock. This this
total has been moving way by the way, maybe fabies,
because I've been ice cold, really really really stupid gambler
last couple of days.

Speaker 5 (55:52):
So hopefully that turns.

Speaker 6 (55:53):
Around today on Saturday at one o'clock, we're going to
the A ten. We're going with another A ten over,
which has really really killed me by missing by like
one point in two of the last three days. But
we're going VCU Loyola over one thirty six and a
half that was at like one forty and a half
when it opened last night. It's down four points. I

(56:15):
don't know why. I think these are two teams that
both leaned towards the over. If you look at it,
sixteen and fifteen for Loyola, so not not convincingly, but
seven and three in the last ten VCU eighteen and thirteen.
And you'd look at when these two teams played this year,
wasn't even going a close game, but they cruised over
the total at eighty four to sixty five, So give
me the over at one thirty six and a half.

Speaker 5 (56:37):
With Loyola VCU.

Speaker 6 (56:39):
Give me Alabama plus thirty or plus thirty and a
half plus three and a half versus Florida there at
three point thirty, and I.

Speaker 5 (56:48):
Would lean money line there as well.

Speaker 6 (56:50):
I do think Bama is going to win the game,
but I'll take the three and a half points. I
think they're the better team. I don't get it at
Florida beat them in Alabama. I think was in the
middle of a gauntlet. So here's the hope in that
Alabama can get to the get there all the way
up to a one seed. I think if they win
today and win tomorrow, they could do just that. As
we talked about with Sam at six o'clock, I like

(57:13):
Colorado State team total over sixty nine and a half
against Boise State. They've cruised over this in most of
their recent games. This is a Mountain West championship. If
they don't win, they are not making the tournament. They're
the team that interests me the most in the Mountain West,
and meet Clifford I think will carry them here. They

(57:34):
scored eighty three points in Boise State, just about a
week ago and covered that game plus five and a
half and one outright as a dog. They also beat
them at Colorado State at home by three points and
put up seventy five in that game, so I think
sixty nine and a half just too low of a
number there, so so give you Colorado State. I also

(57:54):
have Alabama to win the I forgot to say this
on the Alabama, but I have Alabama to win the
SEC at play four to twenty.

Speaker 5 (58:00):
Blaze it.

Speaker 6 (58:01):
And then I've got Maryland to win the Big Ten
at plus two hundred. So we didn't want to lay
four and a half points with Maryland today, so instead
I just decided to go ahead and bet them plus
two hundred to win the Big Ten to win today
and tomorrow, I think even if it's Michigan State, I
think they're going to be a slight dog, like one
and a half point dog if that.

Speaker 5 (58:23):
So I like that number there.

Speaker 6 (58:25):
My best bed of the night actually is in the
Association at seven o'clock, and we can switch over a
bit to the Association, and I like the thunder minus
four and a half at the Detroit Pistons. I feel
like I've done pretty well betting on the Oklahoma City Thunder.

Speaker 5 (58:39):
In these games where they're a mid level favorite.

Speaker 6 (58:42):
They're not minus eleven and a half, They're not minus
nine and a half or you know, double digits or
anything like that.

Speaker 5 (58:47):
It feels like they do a really good.

Speaker 6 (58:49):
Job cover in the four and a half, the five
and a half to six and a half, and you know,
winning by eight plus points, especially against non top teams.
And you got the Detroit Pistons. I know that they've
been a lot better this year. Thirty seven playoffs. Obviously
they are seventeen and a half games behind Oklahoma City.
For using the records behind them, I think four and

(59:10):
a half it's a light number. I was surprised to
see it at that number. I'm at I think there's
a chance that's going down too, because I'm seeing plus
one hundred with even money at four and a half
on one book there.

Speaker 5 (59:21):
But yeah, I'm going with Okay, See, it looks like
Cruso is the only.

Speaker 7 (59:25):
Guy really that Jalen Williams too.

Speaker 5 (59:29):
Oh and maybe yeah right now. The injury report was
outdated earlier.

Speaker 8 (59:35):
I actually I was actually in the DraftKings Weeds when
this injury report came out. Initially, the Thunder release is
saying that he was upgraded to expected the return and
then that was retracted to him continuing being out. So
Seemi was just their mistake. And looking at the full
injury report here, So I don't know no chet either tonight.

Speaker 5 (59:52):
Yeah, I meant to said I knew I knew about Chet.

Speaker 6 (59:55):
I did not know about Jalen and now Aaron Wigan's
the game time decisions, bad job by.

Speaker 5 (01:00:00):
I hate the NBA.

Speaker 9 (01:00:01):
I hate the NBA.

Speaker 6 (01:00:03):
This is why people don't bet on the NBA. It's
why people don't care about the NBA. I can't make
a bet at noon and know the I hate the NBA.
That might be it for me. I might be dune
bet in the NBA until the playoffs. I'm so sick
of this. It feels like half the bets you make
in the NBA, there's an injury you didn't see or
you didn't know about it, and I tried to look

(01:00:24):
at the injuries and Whatever's that's really frustrating anyway, the NBA,
anything that you like today or anything you've noticed, anything
you want to talk about from the last couple of days.

Speaker 8 (01:00:37):
Yeah, as far as from a betting perspective, I will
add on I like the Denver Nuggets minus eleven and
a half tonight against the Washington Wizards. They went down
to the wire with the really short handed Los Angeles
Lakers last night. We got some Brownie James action Dalton
connect out there and closing lineups. That it was not
the a squad by any means. I think Denver is
gonna be a little bit fired up from that, and
that they do have kind of a step on their
throat type performance against say much more in favor your

(01:01:00):
team and the Washington Wizards there. So, the eleven and
a half feels obviously still a big number, but feels
too late to me. I think this is gonna be
like a statement the Nuggets roll and get out of
there early with some old fashioned load management there. So
do like Denver minus eleven and a half.

Speaker 6 (01:01:14):
I I think you and I heard you and Sam
got in an argument about the East and how it
shapes out.

Speaker 5 (01:01:23):
Brace brought that up to me. What was that? What
did that argument entail?

Speaker 8 (01:01:27):
Yeah, a little bit. I guess I get lumped in
the category of Nick hater. I would just say Nick's
truther is the way that I would put it here.
I don't see a world where that team's a contender,
and I put Milwaukee above them in the Eastern Conference
and when looking at like chances of actually winning the
championship there, So that was sort of the point where
we dug in the heels there. I still stand by
that that I think it just the opportunity or a

(01:01:48):
chance to win an NBA championship this year. I do
think Milwaukee has a greater chance than I do with
this New York Knicks team. I like that michaal Bridge
is breaking free a little bit. They've needed to do
that for a long time now. But obviously we'll see
what happens when Bronson returns to the floor, and that
is the straw that continues to start the drink there
in New York, so we'll see how long he's out.
But I do have Milwaukee above them from a title
contention standpoint.

Speaker 6 (01:02:09):
You know what, I'll disagree with both of you because
I don't think Milwaukee has a better chance than New York.
I don't think New York has a better chance than
Milwaukee ied they have the exact same chance, and that
chance is zero percent.

Speaker 5 (01:02:21):
I don't think either of those teams can win the East.

Speaker 6 (01:02:23):
So I guess that probably leans more of your side
with New York saying that they're not a contender in
any way. So I agree with you on the Knicks,
but I don't see the Books as any threat at all,
maybe to the Calves, like maybe they could give them
a series. But the one thing I do want to
actually bring up and disagree with you a bell I heard.

(01:02:44):
I don't know if you said it on in the
Daily Ticket, but you said that you think the Calves
should be the favorite in the East over the Celtics.

Speaker 8 (01:02:50):
Now, I do think from a betting perspective, it's shocking
to me how lapside of the market is. This is
what I'll say with that, Like, I think it's sort
of a lazy take to just be the Celtics have
done it before, so we believe in them versus the Cavaliers.
Haven't like the Cavs, and I've been sort of viewing
them with a skeptical lens for most of this season.
I let me phrase it this way, Mark Henry Junior,

(01:03:11):
do you think it is crazy to say that in
a seven game series between these these two teams, that
Donovan Mitchell may look like the best player on the floor.

Speaker 6 (01:03:20):
I think it's a little a little down playing Jason Tatum. Yeah,
I mean, could Mitchell outplay him in a series?

Speaker 5 (01:03:28):
Yeah, It's it's not impossible.

Speaker 8 (01:03:30):
I think Donald I think better, But I think Mitchell
could could outplay from an overall basketball perspective for sure there,
But I do think Mitchell is not afraid whatsoever. He
averages the most points per game against the Celtics of
any player in history, which is insane.

Speaker 7 (01:03:44):
There.

Speaker 8 (01:03:44):
And I also think like we've seen some big, big
moment performances from Donovan Mitchell, He's yet to have this
deep playoff run. Really, to be fair to him, hasn't
had a clean opportunity to This is the best team
that has he's had surrounding him. It wouldn't shock me
if this is the year that we get Donovan Mitchell
on an absolute tear in the playoffs here.

Speaker 7 (01:04:01):
And I mean, I also give.

Speaker 8 (01:04:02):
A lot of respect to the Cavaliers starting to accept
reality to an extent here that there's a lot of
skepticism with the double big. They've bench Jared Allen for
closing lineups kind of a lot lately, and that continues
the role. It's been the right call DeAndre Hunter providing
a punch there. So I like this Cavaliers team. I
think if this series was played ten times, that the
Cavaliers win it more than five of those.

Speaker 5 (01:04:23):
Oh, I totally disagree with that. See that's where we disagree.

Speaker 6 (01:04:26):
I think the Celtics are actually not getting enough credit
at minus one fifteen and they're minus one thirty on
other books to win the East.

Speaker 5 (01:04:33):
I think they should be.

Speaker 6 (01:04:34):
Like minus two hundred, Like, I mean, give me Celtics
in five like series. I get what you're saying with
the laziness of saying, oh, they did it last year.

Speaker 5 (01:04:45):
There's also forty eight and nineteen.

Speaker 6 (01:04:46):
Like I get Kavs are having an amazing year and
they're seven or whatever game is better than that.

Speaker 8 (01:04:51):
They're on a sixteen game winning streak. They're second of
the season currently.

Speaker 5 (01:04:54):
For sure.

Speaker 6 (01:04:55):
I think we have seen a lot of teams do
this where they pop up and have incredible regular seasons,
like the Jazz or the Hawks. And I'm not saying
that I think the Cops are probably better than those teams.
But I think the Celtics are an unstoppable.

Speaker 5 (01:05:09):
Force without injuries.

Speaker 6 (01:05:11):
And you talk about what they did last year and
it's lazy to say that they could do it again
this year or that that's the only reason. The thing
is last year they did it without Christaps for the most.

Speaker 7 (01:05:22):
Part, might have to again.

Speaker 6 (01:05:24):
Well if that's the case, then that's is he's still sick, right, dude.

Speaker 8 (01:05:28):
This is bizarre one of the more like stranger injury
situations I've seen. He's still like around the team, going
through warm ups and stuff, but and he personally put
out the statement, not even the team or anything, that
he has some sort of viral infection they can't quite identify.

Speaker 7 (01:05:41):
That is extremely strange to me.

Speaker 8 (01:05:43):
But the reality is he's still not playing basketball and
it doesn't seem like there's like a direct timeline for
when he'll be back on the floor. And by the way,
with that being said, there kind of strange that he's
still around the team and warming up and doing all
these things. So I don't know what the full deal
is there, but definitely something that has been strange to
watch over the fire.

Speaker 5 (01:06:01):
I will say, it's only been like three weeks.

Speaker 6 (01:06:03):
Yeah, so I thought it's actually I thought it was
longer honestly than that. He played on the twenty sixth
of February so I thought it was a little longer
than that, but I mean, he won't be needed until
late even the third round. Sure, really like they're not
going to need him to beat the Knicks. So I

(01:06:24):
think if you have healthy Chris STAPs, I think they
have no chance. And even if Kristaps isn't out there.
I like Boston, but obviously Christaps matters. The thing that
is annoying and is beyond scary about Boston, and I
kind of thought that, you know, I've been a little
bit more willing to accept that this is just going
to be Boston's era for a couple of years, and

(01:06:46):
they're gonna win a couple of titles, and I think
they're gonna win the title this year still, But I
always kind of was like, well, you know, Chris STAPs
probably doesn't have the longest shelf life. Drew Holliday going
to age out, and we're seeing Drew Holliday age out
a little bit.

Speaker 5 (01:07:03):
I think he's still a really useful player. The problem with.

Speaker 6 (01:07:06):
That is I did not account for Peyton Pritchard becoming
a stunt. He's so annoying, it's beyond annoying. How good
Peyton Pritchard is he's averaging fifteen or fourteen a game.
He's shooting forty one point five percent from three on
eight attempts. Like this is he's shooting forty seven percent

(01:07:28):
from the field, which means he's lighting it up from
two eighty six percent from free throw.

Speaker 5 (01:07:32):
It doesn't really get to the line, but even three
and a.

Speaker 6 (01:07:34):
Half assists, Like he's become a passable defender, Like, uh,
it's so annoying.

Speaker 8 (01:07:40):
Do you have any concern with the just how much
they lean on three point volume and how often they
take those? You don't have any concerns with that.

Speaker 5 (01:07:48):
I think it's smart.

Speaker 7 (01:07:49):
I get it.

Speaker 5 (01:07:51):
I think they're I think they're right.

Speaker 6 (01:07:53):
And I know people want to like think it's ruinning
basketball for whatever reason.

Speaker 5 (01:07:57):
It just it doesn't bother me the way it bothers
other people.

Speaker 3 (01:08:00):
We like.

Speaker 6 (01:08:00):
I just kind of look at it, you know, I
look at it like college basketball, where I'm more willing
to accept different teams just having drastically different play styles.

Speaker 5 (01:08:09):
Because in college basketball, you had.

Speaker 6 (01:08:10):
Virginia who would run thirty second offenses and shoot a
set shot from twelve feet and then play really good defense,
and you had some teams that want to shoot in
three seconds or less, and some teams that you know,
Alabama makes players run if they don't if they don't
dunk or shoot a three, Like, there's plenty of teams
that do that. There's different styles that make different fights

(01:08:31):
in college basketball. Obviously, three hundred and seventy teams or
whatever it is compared to thirty makes it a different conversation.
But I think Boston gained the system correctly, and you know,
it'll cost them some games, but more often than not,
shooting sixty threes to the other team's forty, even if
you're not that efficient at it, you're probably gonna win
the game.

Speaker 8 (01:08:50):
Yeah, I mean, the math checks out. We all get
the three is more than two. And obviously they're kind
of a trendsetter in this that they're not the the
whole entire league is attempting three pointers at a greater
rate than everybody four there. But it is doing extreme
that I didn't even expect to be the case. Like
in that most recent matchup against the Thunder, out of
their first twenty five shot attempts, twenty two of them
came from beyond the three point arc. There that the

(01:09:10):
most attempts three point attempts in the first quarter in
NBA history in that game, it is pretty wild to
watch there. I'm more on your side of things that
it doesn't bother me or ruined basketball in the way
that I think a lot of people make it out
to be there. But there is a little bit of
doubt in the back of my brain of like, if
that is just their go to offense consistently, will there
be a stretch where they go cold. We've seen a
team like the Houston Rockets who sort of leaned in

(01:09:31):
this and they do it differently than the Celtics team does,
for sure, but them have an uncharacteristic, abnormally cold stretch
at the biggest moment there. It wouldn't shock me if
that does come into play at some point with the
Celtics team in the playoff run.

Speaker 6 (01:09:42):
The Heat were up seventy two sixty seven towards the
end of the third quarter last night, and then the
Celtics go on a you know, I don't have the
math right in front of me.

Speaker 5 (01:09:52):
What is that thirty or whatever? It is like thirty
five to you know, fifteen run and it was just
all threes.

Speaker 6 (01:10:00):
Like it was just all them, you know, get getting
loose from three, getting Pretcher, getting Tatum getting someone open,
and I was happy to have them minus seven and
a half last night, And it just showed how quickly
they can just change a game. It was like four
minutes and they were up seven and covering all of
a sudden.

Speaker 7 (01:10:17):
I've gained an even more respect for Tatum this year,
by the way.

Speaker 5 (01:10:21):
He's so good.

Speaker 6 (01:10:22):
Yeah, and people do that he doesn't have Ara, He's
not you know, Luca and these top top guys. I
think he's pretty clearly the fourth best player in the world.

Speaker 7 (01:10:33):
Yeah, yeah, yeah, I think that's fair. Fourth.

Speaker 8 (01:10:35):
Fifth is kind of where I probably will always have
him pencil. And I think he's in that bizarre spot
that like I don't see him ever climbing to like
the Jokichiannis, that caliber of player that we kind of
see even Shay, I think, like you can make that
case on here.

Speaker 5 (01:10:48):
Might he might be better than Yannis Current.

Speaker 8 (01:10:52):
Yeah, I guess right now I can hear that out there,
But I guess my point being, I don't think there's
ever a season or a day where we say Jason
Tatum's best player in the NBA. With that all being
said here, he's phenomenal, and he's a guy who gets
it done every single night, can do it in every
single area of the floor, and is leading probably the
best team in the NBA. Still, even with all this
being said, so I kind of have gained a lot
of respect throughout the season the way Tatum is a

(01:11:14):
hard hat guy, puts him on suits up every night.

Speaker 7 (01:11:16):
It just does his job.

Speaker 8 (01:11:17):
Man, Like, I think there's been way more variants than
a guy like Jaylen Brown. I was saying this this
week too. I've never felt this way ever before about
Jalen Brown, but I think there have been games this
season that have fallen into that he got his numbers,
but not the impact type of thing.

Speaker 9 (01:11:29):
Now.

Speaker 8 (01:11:29):
Granted, other guys are clearly carrying the weight and they're winning,
so it's not like it's massive concern, but I think
it's been kind of a strange Jalen Brown here, I.

Speaker 6 (01:11:37):
Have a take on that, and I think it's just
you almost needed it a little bit to become Tatum's team, okay,
and to be like, if Tatum was gonna take any
more of a leap, which I think he has. Yeah,
I think he's become a better player, and I don't
think he gets enough credit. I actually didn't realize he's
been doing it for like three years now. But he
as just like nine boards games.

Speaker 5 (01:11:56):
Oh yeah.

Speaker 7 (01:11:57):
Like he's even plays center for them for stretches. Man,
Like they'll drop him into that.

Speaker 8 (01:12:02):
He's a huge part of this five out offense that
they're able to play like that as much.

Speaker 7 (01:12:06):
Tatum gets a lot of slack.

Speaker 8 (01:12:07):
I'm I'm kind of I guess fully conceding to any
sort of that fight.

Speaker 6 (01:12:11):
There six assists per game this year too. Like, man,
I think Tatum is the fourth best player in the world.
My number one is different than most number ones. And
you didn't mention him in the name yet I still
think the best player in the world. Or if you're
I don't know if best player in the world is right,
because Jokic might probably deserve to own that title, of course.

(01:12:34):
But if I'm talking about the number one player that
I want on my team for a playoff run, it's
Luka Doncic. People don't I get that he just got
traded whatever. He's the second leading all time playoff scorer.
He's a guy who averaged twenty nine, nine and a
half and nine in the playoffs last year while he
led his a team to the finals, a team that

(01:12:56):
is now out of the playoffs completely. But that's a
whole other conversation. But I think Luca is still the guy.
I'm taking one one as the best player in the world,
and I know that that's controversial. Shay and Luke Shane
Yoki put up bigger number. He's having a worst year.
He's obviously been banged up at times and had a
weird year.

Speaker 5 (01:13:15):
But why, it's why I give the Lakers.

Speaker 6 (01:13:19):
You know, I think that there's a lot of us
who want to look at the Lakers run and say, well,
of course ESPN wants to make the Lakers a title contender,
and YadA, YadA, YadA.

Speaker 5 (01:13:29):
I would normally roll my eyes like whatever.

Speaker 6 (01:13:32):
Like this type of conversation. Lucas so good that I
don't care. I know they've struggled without Lebron. That's just
what happens when you're a team that's built entirely around
two stars. Guess what, you need both those stars out there.
So it doesn't worry me that they haven't been good
without Lebron. I think Luca and Lebron out there, I
really do think they're going to win the West.

Speaker 8 (01:13:53):
Yeah, and they haven't even had a chance to like
build this roster correctly around Luka doncicch that you don't
have kind of the like Dallas. For as bad as
they made this current decision, I think they did a
pretty great job surrounding Luca with the personnel that he
needs surrounding him.

Speaker 7 (01:14:06):
The PJ.

Speaker 8 (01:14:06):
Washington's, the Daniel Gaffords, the Derek Livelis. Those types of
guys are who he needs to play with. Guys that
Ken Roll can catch, lobs that can play off him,
aren't ball dominant. The Lakers are pretty lacking on a
lot of those guys, and Jackson Hayes has been missing,
which is kind of maximize things there. So I don't
have any concern they're gonna be better in the long haul.
I'm definitely not gonna dig my feet and argue against
Luka doncic here. And did you hear the latest slamt

(01:14:27):
from the Dallas Mavericks that trading the twenty five year
old five time All NBA player it's about the long
term future. Yet this is a long term decision. So yeah,
it continues to be the stupidest trade of all time.
And I don't think that gets passed by anytime soon.

Speaker 6 (01:14:41):
By the way, I will shout out the Lakers last
night for competing with absolutely nobody against Denver. Didn't have Luca,
didn't have Lebron, didn't have Ruy, didn't have DFS. I
think they're missing some other guys. I'm forgetting. And Reeves
went out there and put up thirty eight, thirteen and eight.
I love Austin Reeves. I think Austin Reeves is going

(01:15:03):
to be like I keep saying main character, but I
think he's gonna be like the main character of the
NBA playoffs, maybe like a buzzer beater, game winner in
a big spot, or like a big game in a
big spot, like I think he is. If you're talking
about the third best player on every team, how many
how many teams have a better third best player than
Austin Reeves. I don't know the Celtics.

Speaker 8 (01:15:26):
You're saying, Okay, I think check probably, Yeah, that might
be it. That might be let me think Cleveland, so
you probably go, Donovan Mitchell. I don't even know how
your hierarchy is. Yeah, Garland, Yeah, that might be it.
Off the top of my head, because I.

Speaker 5 (01:15:46):
Don't think the Knicks have a better third best player.

Speaker 8 (01:15:48):
Michael Porter Jr. Probably not, No, definitely not. Yeah, Nicks
are the interesting one.

Speaker 6 (01:15:55):
Bridges mckill Bridges just so mid I'm so done here
at Kile Bridges.

Speaker 5 (01:16:02):
That was such a dumb tree.

Speaker 7 (01:16:04):
He's just a guy category to me. Unfortunately, so's OJI
to me.

Speaker 5 (01:16:08):
Honestly, they're kind of the same.

Speaker 8 (01:16:10):
This was part of my Like me and Sam were
arguing about this this week, like do you see a
word when Michel Bridges ever makes an All Star game?

Speaker 7 (01:16:17):
Because I don't know like.

Speaker 5 (01:16:18):
He is what he is. Yeah, there's no like on
tapped upside with mckil bridges.

Speaker 7 (01:16:22):
And he's a good player.

Speaker 8 (01:16:23):
Like I'm not trying to fully hate on him here,
but I think we should be fair and evaluating, like
this isn't this, you know, guy that's going to grow
into the next Paul George in the way that it
was hoped, not that we should be flexing his name
in these days, but uh, like mckail bridge is who
he is. He's a very good player, but he's a
three and D kind of role player type guy.

Speaker 5 (01:16:41):
All right, let's switch it over.

Speaker 6 (01:16:43):
We got plenty more time for the NBA obviously, how
far far are we from the playoffs.

Speaker 8 (01:16:48):
It's like late April, sixteen games remaining for our field
obvious seventy six ers.

Speaker 5 (01:16:53):
Sixteen games.

Speaker 6 (01:16:54):
Well, interesting that, so I guess that means the play
else Star it's the last regular season game.

Speaker 5 (01:17:02):
I was seeing the thirteenth, so the playans will be
after that. Interesting.

Speaker 6 (01:17:06):
Yeah, so we got another month until until playoff basketball here. Uh,
we got plenty of time to break all of that down.
I don't even want to talk about the sixers.

Speaker 8 (01:17:14):
Yeah, quick, shout out to our Toronto Raptors, who've won
five of their last six.

Speaker 5 (01:17:18):
Where are we at? Fine? You you broke me down?

Speaker 7 (01:17:23):
They're five? Yeah, they're tied with the Brooklyn Nets for
five right now?

Speaker 5 (01:17:27):
Wow, and we have the tiebreaker, I believe, right.

Speaker 8 (01:17:30):
Yeah, and uh yeah, so Raptors have gotten hot, which
has helped them. They could use the Nets to lose one,
definitely in the short term, but.

Speaker 7 (01:17:38):
Uh yeah, they're not in a bad spot here.

Speaker 6 (01:17:40):
So forty chances the top four probably means, like guessing,
probably like a sixty to sixty five percent chance at
keeping the pick.

Speaker 5 (01:17:49):
Yeah, at five, I.

Speaker 8 (01:17:50):
Believe it's sixty three. Sixty three should be the number
there so we're getting there.

Speaker 6 (01:17:55):
I think if you're at six, you have like a
like a fifty to fifty chance forty five.

Speaker 8 (01:17:59):
So forty five sixty three is the big jump there
for just straight up keeping the pick.

Speaker 7 (01:18:03):
That's big. It's big leap.

Speaker 5 (01:18:05):
And there's no chance they can get to four, right.

Speaker 8 (01:18:08):
I mean, the Pelicans is the team that I have
circled there Zion's back, They're playing better. I'm not gonna
say zero chance, but I mean there is a gap
that they got to make up that. This is something
that I think four games is the number. I'm not
looking at the standings in front of me, but they
need Zion to really prove it. And granted, like New
Orleans has given him the opportunity to showcase, there will
be some trade conversations I'm sure this summer regarding him.

(01:18:28):
So there is kind of a you know, this is
what this guy brings to the table going on. Zion
looks phenomenal, man, he looks as light as I've seen
him in years at this point.

Speaker 7 (01:18:36):
He's moving well, looks explosive.

Speaker 8 (01:18:37):
So I'll be hesitant about that, but I am rooting
for the Pelicans quite heavily right now.

Speaker 5 (01:18:41):
Big game for that tonight.

Speaker 6 (01:18:43):
By the way, Pelicans are favored tonight against the San
Antonio Spurs, favored by four and a half on the
road against this first because the Fox is out now
when he's out, a ton of guys out for Sanatoria.
Harrison Barnes been balling. I saw him on the on
the fantasy waiver wire.

Speaker 5 (01:18:59):
But you look at that.

Speaker 6 (01:19:00):
They win that game a couple you know, they do
play the Sixers Monday, the twenty fourth, they play the
Charlotte Hornets March thirtieth.

Speaker 5 (01:19:09):
You've got a Nets.

Speaker 6 (01:19:10):
Game in there April eighth. You do have a couple
couple of bad teams in there for the Pelicans. Maybe
maybe you get a couple of wins in their sixers.
Hopefully they lose out. But one question, actually, before we
get over from to the NFL, Flag or Zion, who's
a better prospect for the NBA coming out of college.

Speaker 8 (01:19:32):
As far as peak, I think it's Zion as far
as high as potential there, I just feel so much
better on exactly who Cooper Flag is like there, we
kind of knew the risks with Zion and we're seeing
them all on full display with you know, the muscle
injuries that have popped up some of the conditioning concerns there,
You're not gonna get any of that with Cooper Flag. Like,
I think his floor is incredibly high as a player.
He's a winning basketball player. So as far as ceiling,

(01:19:53):
I don't think Cooper Flag can ever get to the
peak of what Zion Williamson potentially still could. But for
what we're getting, I mean, Flag a far safer player.
And I think if I was making the decision in
New Orleans Shoes based on how these past couple of
seasons go have been going, Cooper Flag would be my
decision there.

Speaker 6 (01:20:09):
I have a bizarre comp for Cooper Flag that I
don't think you'll see thrown out there. He's I think
he's gonna be like Laurie Marketing, except a very good defender,
Like in terms of like the numbers he puts up,
like Marketin's peak was like twenty five and a half
and eight and a half on Utah, Like, I think
that could be what Flag's looking at and while also

(01:20:32):
being like medaling of a defense. Yeah, so I that's
kind of what like I I if you would have
asked me like Zion's upside, I might have told you
like thirty two and twelve at the time, So I
don't know. It's a hard conversation. I think you fought. Honestly,
if you get the first pick, you're probably more psyched

(01:20:54):
that it's flagged than you were that it was Zion,
just because of Like I think there's no chance Flag
is not going to be a top twenty five player.

Speaker 8 (01:21:05):
Yeah, Like the floor is incredible with him, like he
it's been interesting. He's been slightly different than my expectations
of him getting in like a chance to really watch
him at Duke.

Speaker 7 (01:21:14):
He's not a flashy player. He's a winning player.

Speaker 8 (01:21:17):
He does a lot of the small things, Like I've
been really impressed with sort of the maturity in his
game that he already possesses there. And by the way,
speaking of Lauri market and the Jazz, they are doing
everything possible to maximize their odds. Last night, LORII Marketing
dropped sixteen points in the first half, did not suit
up for the entire second half. Walker Kessler was a
healthy scratch, was not on the injury report. Saventh the
bench the entire game. So while the Sixers are getting

(01:21:38):
investigated for tanking here, these are the other things going
around in the organization. Emmanuel Quickly at twenty four years old,
has been a healthy scratch on every other game basis.
But yet the Sixers have been investigated for the third
time for the you know, Paul, George, Tyrese, Maxine and
Joelle Andbi not being available.

Speaker 6 (01:21:52):
Can you imagine how double platinum Cooper flag jerseys would
go in Mormon, Utah? Oh yeah, I think like the
Church of Latter Day Saints would have to just start
handing them out at the door, like, here's your Cooper
flag jersey, you can put it on.

Speaker 5 (01:22:09):
I mean that is just like a jazz tree. You
could have an all white lineup.

Speaker 6 (01:22:15):
You have Philipowski, you have Walker Kessler, you have market In.

Speaker 5 (01:22:19):
Yeah, you get flag in there. Wow, that's Sbee McCulloch
on the roster.

Speaker 6 (01:22:25):
But let's swish it over to the NFL. I've got
my top twenty five here. These are my first round prospects.
I only have twenty five first round grades. My twenty
six through thirty two technically are ranked in my first round.
I guess you could say, but only twenty five got
the ninety plus first round grade from me, and I'll

(01:22:46):
start from twenty five to one real quick before we
get into it, just to break down the position breakdown
in my top twenty five, zero quarterbacks, two running backs,
one wide receiver, two tight ends, three offensive linemen, four
defensive tackles, four edge rushers, zero linebackers, six corners.

Speaker 5 (01:23:07):
And three safeties. So corner.

Speaker 6 (01:23:10):
I didn't realize it was as strong of a corner
draft until recently. I don't think it's a deep one,
but I think it's a strong one. Up at the
top fifty, top twenty five, whatever you want to say.
Twenty five running back O'marion Hampton from North Carolina.

Speaker 5 (01:23:23):
This is the guy who's just been so productive.

Speaker 6 (01:23:24):
Like he was really good with Drake May two years ago,
he was also really good this year as the entire
offense pretty much the exact same five point nine yards
we carry both years. My comp for him, I'm gonna
go player and comp for each player, and I will
say my comps are a little lofty. I feel like
this year, especially for a draft I don't love. I
think I need to work on some of these just
to get a less lofty name. But maybe some of

(01:23:46):
these are ceiling comps. Comp I think we're talking about
that they are they are some of them. By the way,
Ris Football great website out there for the draft nerds
like me, and you click on a player that does
have the athletic scorers of VAIL and it will give
you some players that are athletic profile matches, like five names,
and then you could also plug in other names that

(01:24:07):
you're like, how similar are these guys? And I remember
that's how I got uh. I think it was Julio
Jones for Roma Dunesday last year. But Amarion Hampton I
got better Breese Hall.

Speaker 5 (01:24:18):
Breese Hall.

Speaker 6 (01:24:19):
I was really good one year with the Jets and
came out of college a really really good player. Has
not maybe not lived up to the hype this year,
had a tough year. And I think a Marion Hampton's
actually a better prospect than Briest Blas coming out of
Ohio State or Iowa State twenty four cornerback or safety
Jedi Baron out of Texas. He's a guy who's ranked

(01:24:40):
much higher on some boards. He's a bit of a
tweeener between corner and safetey. I don't know where he's
gonna land. I'm kind of similar to a guy like
Brian Branch who has landed at corner in the NFL
for Detroit, but plays kind of multiple positions for them.
I'm gonna I don't think he's quite as good as Branch,
quite as good as the Gene some of these guys

(01:25:01):
who people have thrown out as tweeeners. I think he's
a legitimate tweeer besse. I think he's got some problems
at both positions, but good player. Definitely going to be
a good player. You could probably find a way to
use them because you can play both of those for sure.
Twenty three cornerback Maxwell Harriston out of Kentucky direct athletic
comp to Denzel Ward, who's really good player. I don't

(01:25:22):
know if Maxwell Harrison is that good, but matches the
size wise and also one of the fastest players in
the cut or in the draft, and he can really
really follow you stride for stride on deep balls. At
twenty two cornerback Darry and Porter absolutely tore up the combine,
really measured well, tested well. He's this year's kind of

(01:25:44):
Tarik wooland Joey Porter junior of the long corner with
really long arms that tested out really really well athletically.

Speaker 5 (01:25:51):
And he's a guy who not a ton of snaps in.

Speaker 6 (01:25:54):
College, only really like one year of a full, full
repertoire snaps, showed really good ball skills, So shout out
to McLay. I think I'm way higher on Himan McLay
as actually, even though he's an Iowa State guy.

Speaker 5 (01:26:05):
But give me Dari and Porter.

Speaker 6 (01:26:07):
These are three safeties back to back nineteen through twenty one.
These kind of personal preference of whatever you're kind of
looking for if you're a team out there. Twenty one
safety Nickomnbory out of South Carolina tore up the Combine
probably the number one player who helped his stock from
the Combine, got a ten point zero, was the most
athletic safety ever ever evaluated at the Combine.

Speaker 5 (01:26:30):
So an absolute freak for sure. Some people like to
say that it doesn't show up on tape. I think
I see it. I see it.

Speaker 6 (01:26:37):
I don't think it shows up enough on tape, but
I think you can get it out of him, and
I think he's shown enough as a really good tackler
as well as being a really good athlete. So he's
my number three safety though, so a lot of people
have vaulted him to number one, number twenty. I've got
Malachi Starks out of Georgia. He's another guy who I
think some people have him pegged at the top five,

(01:26:59):
top ten died. Let me just tell you safeties that
I do not think there will be a safety drafted
in the top fifteen of this draft or maybe ever
draft ever.

Speaker 5 (01:27:08):
Again. Kyle Hamilton, the way he felt I thought he was.

Speaker 6 (01:27:12):
A perfect safety prospect, has turned into the best safety
in the league, even he fell into the mid teens
of his draft. So I think PFF has Starks and
a Mannery up in the top ten. I don't think
either of them go that high, and I actually like
a safety.

Speaker 5 (01:27:27):
More than them. I'm throwing up the X.

Speaker 6 (01:27:29):
That's why I have the hat on Xavier Watts at
number nineteen. He's more of like an early second rounder
for most people. For me, he's nineteenth on my board.
He's a direct comp to Kirby Joseph, who last year
was PFF's number one safety for the Detroit Lions. Led
the NFL in interceptions. He also led college football and
interceptions his last year, something Xavier Watts has now done

(01:27:51):
as well. Xavier Watts an absolute ball hawk there at
Notre Dame. He was the leader of the not only
the defense, but the entire team which went to a
national championship. And I think Exavier Watts was one of
the absolute biggest reasons why absolute beasts. So I'm biased
on that one for sure, and you'll hear another one
that I'm biased on soon. I will say Dives has

(01:28:13):
a lot of the fringe Notre Dame guys like Howard Cross,
Riley Mills, Jack Kaiser, some guys who are probably gonna
go fit six to seventh round, Riley Leonard even who
I am kind of like, I don't know if they're
NFL guys. Dives is telling me I'm not giving him
enough credit. So I have vaulted a couple guys up
my Notre Dame board.

Speaker 5 (01:28:33):
But I'm not crazy.

Speaker 6 (01:28:34):
I'm not telling you every player from there is going
to be a top twenty player.

Speaker 8 (01:28:37):
Riley Kill my backup quarterback, I'd be comfortable with that.
That's what you're taking a shot on.

Speaker 5 (01:28:43):
Yeah, I just don't know if there's enough there as
a thrower.

Speaker 7 (01:28:46):
Yeah, probably not.

Speaker 8 (01:28:47):
I mean, backup is probably the peak there, that's the
ceiling for sure, but I don't know, you know, bring
him in give him a shot.

Speaker 5 (01:28:54):
Yeah, he's better than most of the quarterbacks in this class.

Speaker 6 (01:28:58):
I had taken him over a bunch of the name,
but I don't think I would draft him. I think
the only reason I'd get him is if he's an
undrafted guy, and I do think he will get drafted,
so I don't think I would get him if I
was a GM out there. Eighteen and this is the
last of my first tier. Eighteen to twenty five is
like my fringe first round tier, i'd say, And my
number eighteen is Titaned Coulston Loveland out of Michigan direct

(01:29:21):
comp to Evan Ingram size wise, comparison wise, pure receiver,
like not a blocker, which is why I'll kind of
rant on Dallas Goddter later on before we end the show.
But Colston Loveland Evan Ingram don't think he's a fit
for the Eagles necessarily. This tier is my like non
elite tier, but still a first round tier. Seventeen Princely

(01:29:44):
Yuman Malin out of Ole, miss He's com for Brian Burns.
Great name, Princely, and he's a name who I think
Vic Fangio could definitely have some interest in.

Speaker 5 (01:29:53):
Another name that.

Speaker 6 (01:29:54):
I think Vic Fangio could have some interest in Number
sixteen edge Landon Jackson out of Arkansas about six foot six.
He's an absolute beast. He's a monster run defender on
the edge. I'm more bullish on the traits. I think
he can become a better pass rusher. Seven sacks each
of the last two years, so it's not like he's
a terrible pass rusher like some of the other edge

(01:30:15):
rushers who are trying to get pushed up forwards. I
know Shane Half and some of my guys dies are
not nearly as high on as pass rushing as I am.

Speaker 5 (01:30:22):
But he just tore up the combine.

Speaker 6 (01:30:23):
I think someone's going to be able to use that
athleticism and get him around the edge and get his
pass rush diet maybe a little bit better about getting
around the edge and not just using his strength and size.
So Number fifteen offensive tackle Josh Simmons oft of Ohio State.

Speaker 5 (01:30:38):
Christian Darrisol would be his COMP.

Speaker 6 (01:30:39):
Fourteen offensive tackle Will Campbell out of LSU Talisi Flagga
would be his comp. Number thirteen armand Membu out of
Missouri's but actually my top ranked olignman coming in at
number thirteen.

Speaker 5 (01:30:50):
That's Tristan Wurf's people don't want to hear Olinman. Those
are three names.

Speaker 6 (01:30:54):
Those are my only three first round O lineman though
Membu Campbell and Josh Simmons. Number twelve defensive tackle Walter
Nolan out of Ole Miss. The comp for him would
probably be freakier at Oliver, with better pass rush skills
at Oliver, probably a little bit better of a rush defender,
which means probably not a great comp.

Speaker 5 (01:31:11):
If I'm saying different on both. Yeah, probably not a
great comp.

Speaker 6 (01:31:16):
Size comp makes sense there, but I couldn't. Really I
had five names who I was searching for comps before
we started for this. I had twenty of them locked
up for my prior research on scouting, but some of
these I had to.

Speaker 5 (01:31:29):
Come up with on the fly. That was one of them.
Don't love it.

Speaker 6 (01:31:32):
Number eleven, detackle Derek Harmon. This is what I do
love a camp. Leonard Williams, who's now been paid multiple times,
one of the premier defensive tackles in college bass.

Speaker 5 (01:31:42):
Or college basketball.

Speaker 6 (01:31:45):
In the NFL, and he was in college football, was
one of the premier tackles in college football. And I
think Derek Harmon this is not too lofty. I think
he's a three down defensive tackle. This is a guy
I'm dreaming.

Speaker 5 (01:31:57):
Of for the Eagles at thirty two.

Speaker 6 (01:31:59):
And if you made guests right now, who the Eagles
is taking thirty two.

Speaker 5 (01:32:03):
If he's there, Derek Carmon, that's my guess.

Speaker 6 (01:32:06):
He feels like a Howie guy on the interior there
at defensive tackle, can stay on the field three downs.

Speaker 5 (01:32:13):
I really like Derek Harmon.

Speaker 6 (01:32:14):
Number ten, Mason Graham, defensive tackle out of Michigan. He's
the most sure thing in the draft. He's going to
be a good defensive tackle. He's going to be a
good run stuffer. He's going to be a fine pass
rusher at the very least as defensive tackle. I'm a
little lower on him than consensus because I don't know
if he has that.

Speaker 5 (01:32:33):
If I'm drafting a defensive tackle in the top five,
I want Jalen Carter.

Speaker 6 (01:32:37):
Yeah, Like I want a guy who I think can
be the best player on a Super Bowl defense. I
think could be an All Pro. I think can be
one of a name that casuals know at that position.
I don't think that's gonna be Mason Graham. I think
he's gonna be a good player. I don't think he's
gonna be an All Pro, and that's why he's tenth
for me. You could argue maybe I have him a
little too high, if that's.

Speaker 5 (01:32:53):
What I think, but I think the floor is so high.

Speaker 6 (01:32:56):
I think the floor is starter for ten years, but
I don't think the ceilings that much higher. He's a
limited range of outcomes player for me, at least.

Speaker 5 (01:33:04):
This is where my board gets crazy a little bit.

Speaker 6 (01:33:07):
At number nine, I've got cornerback Benjamin Morrison out of
Notre Dame. I'm in love with the guy. I think
he's a perfect cornerback prospect. Outside of being six foot
which isn't short, it's just not tall, he's got long
arms as well, which help him out. Marlon Humphrey is
the comp who's had a really good NFL career at
six foot tall, and he's got long arms as well,

(01:33:28):
longer arms in his frame, but he's also plays bigger
than he than he than his size. Benjamin Marrison has
been really good and run coverage, which you wouldn't think
for a guy at his size, but really really like
what Morrison's turned turned himself into.

Speaker 5 (01:33:40):
It was hurt for the second half of this year
for Notre Dame.

Speaker 6 (01:33:43):
But I think Morrison's going to be a guy who's
an absolute stud and he's probably gonna go on day two,
so he's gonna be like the top available guy for
me for a really long time.

Speaker 5 (01:33:53):
Him and my number eight guy. This one.

Speaker 6 (01:33:55):
People are gonna think I'm crazy, and I don't care.
This is just my I'm avoiding think. I don't care
what people think. I don't care about the athletic scores.
I care about his twenty twenty three tape Dan Walker,
defensive tackle out of Kentucky, trying one hundred and eleventh
on PFF's big Board. He's my number eight player. I'm
in love with him. He's I think, let me get

(01:34:16):
the exact size for you, but he's a brick bleep house.

Speaker 5 (01:34:21):
What would be what?

Speaker 6 (01:34:22):
I think he can be referred to as. He's an
absolute beast. He's six' six but let me get the
let me get the height and. Weight he's Got Jordan
davis' size pretty. Much six, seven three point fifty is
what he. Is he's he's weird size where he's kind
of skinny, legs really a lot in the midsection and maybe.

Speaker 5 (01:34:43):
Not enough upper.

Speaker 6 (01:34:44):
Body when you Watch build a Little bit a little,
bit and you watch his twenty twenty three, tape he
looks like a force of, nature AND i think he
didn't look enough like that this last year in twenty twenty.
FOUR i think two reasons Why kentucky had no talent.
Around he was getting doubled a, ton and also he
was playing playing way too many. Snaps he probably needs

(01:35:05):
to be on a, rotation BUT i think if he's
kept on a, rotation.

Speaker 5 (01:35:07):
He can be so.

Speaker 6 (01:35:08):
Impactful and he's the guy WHO i will be screaming
from the mountaintops on day two for The eagles to.
Take he might not go on the first hundred, picks
but when he, GOES i truly believe he's going to
turn himself into an all.

Speaker 5 (01:35:20):
PRO i think he's Got Dexter lawrence.

Speaker 6 (01:35:22):
Potential he's probably a more direct comp To Michael, brockers
BUT i Love DEX i Love Dean. Walker this is
my LAST i have One Red chip. Guy my number
seven guy Is Tyler. Warren my tiers are Blue, Chip,
redship and then the. Rest there are different, tiers But redship.

Speaker 5 (01:35:39):
Is like not quite Blue, chip.

Speaker 6 (01:35:41):
But there you have a real good chance to be
An All pro and there's no chance they're not.

Speaker 5 (01:35:44):
Good but maybe they, have they're not quite as elite
as those blue chip.

Speaker 6 (01:35:48):
Guys That's Tyler warren for me From Penn, state my
number seven.

Speaker 5 (01:35:51):
GUY i think He's Dallas goddter T.

Speaker 6 (01:35:53):
J hawkins in the moment he steps in the, LEAGUE
i think he's just gonna be one of those, guys could,
be you, know as good As, bowers BUT i. DON'T
i THINK i see him as A bowers type from last.
Year and then my top six is far and. Away
these are my top six, guys way above the rest of.
It if anyone is drafted above these top six, GUYS
i think it's a mistake by that. Team number, SIX

(01:36:14):
i Have Travis hunter at, corner which is lower than.
Most i've turned myself into an Anti Travis hunter guy
somehow while having him as a blue chip. Guy and
the comp IS i Mean Deon, sanders, LIKE i don't
know who else the comp, is BUT i my problem
With hunter is that if he wasn't a, receiver where

(01:36:35):
would he be?

Speaker 5 (01:36:36):
Going AND i think it's more like.

Speaker 6 (01:36:37):
Ten So i'm kind of splitting the difference a little
bit and putting him down at six BECAUSE i don't
think he's the best corner in the class if it's
just pure. Corner, now the BIG x factor is what
is he as a?

Speaker 5 (01:36:49):
Receiver how much is he playing? Offense is it? Packages
is it a full time?

Speaker 6 (01:36:53):
Player is it just packages on corner and he's a
full time player on.

Speaker 5 (01:36:56):
OFFENSE i don't. Know it might turn, down might be.

Speaker 6 (01:37:00):
The needs of the team that drafts, him But i'd
rather roll the dice on these other five guys Over.
Hunter but if you're a team that needs a corner
and you convince yourself on, HIM i don't think it's
crazy at.

Speaker 5 (01:37:12):
All number five wide Receiver tech.

Speaker 6 (01:37:14):
McMillan Rich Man's Drake london is his comp and people
say he's a contested catch. Merchant that guy can go
get some. YACK i Love teed, McMillan AND i don't
think he was used. Properly number four running Back Ashton.
Genty the comp Is Ladanian. TOMLINSON i think he's just
the full. Package he is everything i'd want in a
running back, prospect and the reason THAT i shy away

(01:37:35):
from calling people generational Like Bjeon. ROBINSON a couple of
years ago was called generational a, lot and he's been pretty.
Good he's been lived up maybe lived up to. It
he's been really one of the five best running backs in.
Football BUT i don't think he was generational the Way
Ashton gentsy is. GENERATIONAL i Think Ashton genty has a
chance to be the best running back in football next,
year LIKE i really, do if he lands.

Speaker 5 (01:37:54):
In the right.

Speaker 6 (01:37:55):
SITUATION i think he's a special, guy a special running
back who has every tool THAT i would. Want Number
three Edge James pierce out Of, tennessee and this is
a guy who's falling and allegedly has some off the field.
Concerns reminds me of a guy From georgia a couple
of years back who completely transformed The eagles. Defense this

(01:38:16):
is a guy who has a chance to fall to
the twenties and if he, Does howie pick up the.

Speaker 5 (01:38:21):
Phone call For James.

Speaker 8 (01:38:24):
Pierce twenty draft, picks twenty draft picks these next two.

Speaker 5 (01:38:26):
Years there it.

Speaker 6 (01:38:28):
IS i WOULD i would do backflips For James pierce
to be An. EAGLE i think he's going to be
an absolute beast going. Forward reminds me of Kve On.
Thibodeaux coming out of. College thibodeaux probably has not been
as productive as he should.

Speaker 5 (01:38:40):
BE i think The giant's probably a bad.

Speaker 6 (01:38:42):
Situation BUT i still believe In, thibodeaux and he's still
a really good run. Defender SO i Think pierce is
a total. Package apparently a lot of red flags off the.

Speaker 5 (01:38:50):
FIELD i don't you. Know i'm not a police. OFFICER
i don't know.

Speaker 6 (01:38:54):
Number two edge Rusher Abdul, Carter Penn, state and you
know the Concert parsons And Von.

Speaker 5 (01:39:00):
Miller it's hard not to make those. Comps.

Speaker 6 (01:39:04):
Nothing i'm going to tell you that you haven't heard
About Abdol, carter my number one player in the entire.

Speaker 5 (01:39:09):
Class people. Don't people don't.

Speaker 6 (01:39:13):
Not in a lot of these, CONVERSATIONS i will Say
dives also has a number one in his. Class he's
number fourteen ON Pff, Fringe top twenty On Daniel. Jeremiah
my number one is Cornerback Will johnson From. MICHIGAN i
think he's a direct comp To patzertan who's the best
corner in the best corner in THE. NFL i think
there's no scenario to me Where Will johnson is not

(01:39:35):
a top fifteen corner in two. YEARS i think he's
just locked. In he's going to be one of the
best corners in the. Sport six', to two, long arms,
can run, can tackle can DO everything i want out of.

Speaker 5 (01:39:47):
A corner i think he's better than Any corner.

Speaker 6 (01:39:49):
I've Evaluated, since SAUCE which i guess isn't that, long
ago only two.

Speaker 5 (01:39:53):
Years AGO but I think sauce is.

Speaker 6 (01:39:56):
The Only corner i've ever Evaluated who i've liked More Than,
Will johnson, And Honestly will johnson's probably a safer Corner than.

Speaker 5 (01:40:04):
Sauce, was yeah Tough. For sauce. Tough, YEAR yeah i
think it was.

Speaker 6 (01:40:09):
PROBABLY overblown i think he probably was still, pretty good
just wasn't nearly like an all pro or like a top.
Top GUY but i Still think sauce is going to
be a, really really you, know it all pro type guy. Going,
forward so but.

Speaker 5 (01:40:23):
That's the top.

Speaker 6 (01:40:24):
Twenty five any takes out Of that any names you
were surprised weren't.

Speaker 5 (01:40:28):
On it you're surprised to hear high?

Speaker 8 (01:40:30):
Or, anything yeah, no QUARTERBACKS which i think is. INTERESTING
there i think YOU'RE probably i get it from a
just pure. Evaluation standpoint i'm sure we see these guys
jump up pretty close to the top there of The
cam Warden cam ward especially will be. TAKEN there I
think i personally would Still Consider abdul carter my number one.
Guy Overall but i'm not shocked to hear you Go With.
WILL johnson i haven't fully dug into tape or dove

(01:40:51):
deep into a lot of these guys, just yet so
we'll get my full takes a little bit more down.
The LINE but i like the LIST and i like
that you're digging your heels in and not not just
group thinking your way, through this that you're getting the.
Takes out so shout out to YOU market, REGINI yeah.

Speaker 6 (01:41:03):
I definitely i don't know what it says, This year
i'm way different. Than consensus and, YOU know i always
have SOME guys i put out my helmet sticker guys
every YEAR who i love and my Guys who i'm.
Out On shamar stewart will leave that list, for sure
we'll do that another. Another SHOW but i, this year more,

(01:41:24):
THAN ever i have more Guys who i'm just way,
way different either higher or lower on than the consensus
rankings across.

Speaker 5 (01:41:31):
THE board i don't know if THAT means, i know
ball don't know if That means. I'm crazy it.

Speaker 8 (01:41:35):
Feels like, A draft THAT'S what. I, Think, like yeah
that would be my my takeaway for why that it's.
The case this does feel like there is more uncertainty across,
the board not just with like you, in comparison but
everyone in comparison to it.

Speaker 7 (01:41:47):
This, season yeah it might.

Speaker 6 (01:41:49):
Be a draft where it's very, scheme dependent very, situation
dependent very personal preference kind of kind.

Speaker 5 (01:41:55):
Of draft but, Real, quick eagles before we.

Speaker 6 (01:41:57):
Get out, of here, everyone's gone all the free agents,
are gone and. THAT'S fine i was upset With the.
Chauncey move Here's what. I'LL say i don't care About.
The beck THEN then i never wanted To. Pay Beck
Then tyler stein's gonna.

Speaker 5 (01:42:10):
Step in.

Speaker 6 (01:42:11):
Just fine part Of What jeff stotlin gives you is
the advantage to not have to go pay a Guy
Like makai becton to keep the offensive, line respectable still, have,
multiple multiple multiple all pros ON that. O line steam should.
Step in he stepped in plenty in relief throughout. THE
year i think they're gonna be. Just fine but my
plea and my donkey brains of the week. In advance
go To the eagles organization if They trade dallas godd

(01:42:34):
don't have.

Speaker 5 (01:42:35):
Donkey brains you guys are.

Speaker 6 (01:42:36):
Smart, People Yeah, howie roseman you're the most valuable person
in the history of, this city not. Just sports, Move Over,
ben franklin but do Not Trade dallas godder and start
one of these bums you picked up the last couple,
Of days Harris, And Bryant. Kylon grayson don't rely on the,
day two day three. TIGHT ends i hate this tight.
End class you're Not Getting, tyler warren and if, you

(01:42:58):
are you're Gonna trade dallas got it and then trade
up all these assets to Go Get tyler warren in the.
TOP ten i don't want to. Do That, colston lovelin
he's not. A blocker you can't. Draft him he doesn't he.
Doesn't block you need a blocker in this in, this
scheme then the OTHER guys i don't believe in as day.

Speaker 5 (01:43:12):
One Starter, SO howie.

Speaker 6 (01:43:14):
I don't care about this whole, off Season and i'll
forgive all of it as long.

Speaker 5 (01:43:19):
As You keep dallas godd.

Speaker 8 (01:43:21):
Her, Anything, sean, YEAH no, I SEE i'd i with
you on THAT that i don't understand this like need to,
trade him or this like forced to.

Speaker 7 (01:43:29):
Trade. HIM whatever i think it would be dumb. To
me just sit on.

Speaker 8 (01:43:31):
Your hands and if it is like a, contract thing
like he's got to play at the end of, the
day like is there gonna be a holdout situation, type
THING so i would rather call him on that if
that is.

Speaker 7 (01:43:38):
The SITUATION and i kind of find it hard to
believe that it is to be.

Speaker 8 (01:43:41):
Perfectly Honest so i'm. WITH you i see you. FULL
sport I Hope dallas goddard Is wearing eagles jersey.

Speaker 5 (01:43:46):
Next year i'll get you out. OF here i totally agree.
WITH you i just want you NAILED something i didn't.

Speaker 6 (01:43:50):
Hit on one side of the argument, is, saying, oh
Well the eagles can't pay fifteen million to a tight
end who gets hurt all the time and it's just
impossible with. The cap and then the other, shot is,
Oh well dallas godd is gonna. Hold out he's, not
happy he's not gonna play on a one. Year deal
he's gonna want a full time deal If the eagles
don't want to pay him. Fifteen million and the teams
that he were allegedly shopping.

Speaker 5 (01:44:09):
To him want him to take a. Pay cut, Guess
what he's not gonna hold.

Speaker 6 (01:44:12):
Out for making fifteen million, dollars then so make him
play on one.

Speaker 5 (01:44:16):
Year deal.

Speaker 6 (01:44:16):
I'm sorry not everybody gets to, be happy go lucky
that they're about their contract at. All times people play
on one year deals all. The time, I'm Sorry dallas
Goddter's super. Bowl champion you should be happy. About that
people are assuming a lot of unhappiness for a guy
who just won The Freaking super bowl three weeks ago
or a, MONTH ago. I, whatever anyway that's the show.

Speaker 5 (01:44:35):
That's gonna do a tough.

Speaker 6 (01:44:36):
Cover radio show back next week for their Full On March.

Speaker 5 (01:44:39):
Madness extravaganza